A time will finally come when clay will be night...
and night will be the kingdom of life.
Every shriek will become music...
ancl the whines and laments of today will turn into a sweet chant.
A time will come when the moon, devoured by the great dragon...
will spread a blanket of eternal darkness.
Ancl I will be the master of both darkness and light.
When the sun has burned every harvest...
when rivers have run dry...
when every human being will lay lifeless...
then Evil will triumph - the absolute master -
and it will rule the Earth.
Theseus!
Come on, push!
Hey, you!
Come here and help us. We need everybody.
Do it yourself, we must leave.
All right men, push.
Don't you hear? Hercules is calling you.
Let him call.
One is with a woman. The other is at the waterfall.
Good, we will take them one at a time.
It will be easier that way.
Can't you tell us who they are?
The King will pay us well for their death.
Names are not important. Let's go.
When I kiss you, it feels as if the whole world trembles.
It's as if the sky has changed its color,
and assumed that of your kisses.
Look out!
Hide yourself!
Don't be afraid!
Come on.
Get ready to stop them.
Get up there, quick.
Come on.
Damn him!
Jump!
Jump down.
Don't let him get away!
Jump, Theseus!
Look out, Theseus.
Thank you, Hercules, you were just in time.
Did he say Hercules?
Hercules!
Yes, it's Hercules himself!
This is a fine way to welcome us to Ecalia.
It's probably a suitor of Deianira's,
jealous of your marriage.
You're marrying her?
Yes, we've already waited too long.
This time not even Zeus can prevent our marriage.
And you, when will you marry?
Me? I'm not ready yet.
We had best be going.
You go first. I'll follow in a few days.
You haven't seen Deianira for a long time.
You don't want others intruding.
I understand.
Be as happy as I am.
I shouldn't ever have trusted such incompetents as yourselves.
It was impossible.
You coward!
Is this how you carry out my orders?
But you didn't tell us it was...
That's enough!
Follow me.
You were afraid.
It's not a question of fear.
Not even all the guards in Ecalia could kill Hercules.
And Theseus was with him.
Will you pay us what you promised?
My men and I risked our lives.
But you ran away.
We had to.
You'll have what you deserve.
Take what you want for you and your men.
I always pay those who serve me for what they have done.
Deianira.
Deianira!
Welcome back, Hercules!
Thank you, my friends.
Tell us you've come back to stay.
Welcome back to Ecalia, Hercules.
I wanted to come back sooner.
When I heard of Uriteis' death, I came right away.
But the gods placed many obstacles in my path.
The body of Uriteis lies at rest in its tomb,
but Deianira hasn't taken the throne to rule the people of her land.
Why? The kingdom is hers.
Deianira was not in a condition to rule.
What? What do you mean?
No one has seen her.
She was taken to a wing of the palace
where even servants aren't allowed.
Who did this?
It was I, Hercules.
It was I.
I have taken the throne waiting for your return.
I've been caring for my niece, who I love like a daughter.
Where have you hidden her?
Why can't I see her?
Do you want the people to know about their queen's grave sickness?
I certainly couldn't consent to that.
You still have not answered me.
Where is Deianira?
So you would have preferred to let the news spread?
Would you want the foolish servants with their scheming minds
to spread lies that would harm her authority?
I had to hide her from the looks and curiosity
and take care of her.
Do you condemn me for this?
You acted with wisdom.
For that, I thank you.
But what happened to Deianira?
What misfortune has befallen her? I must know.
She is sick, Hercules. Very sick.
Your long absence, the uncertainty of your fate, and finally
the death of her father were more than she could bear.
Where is she? I want to see her.
I want you to see her, too.
She is in the garden now.
I hope that your return can restore her health.
Deianira.
I have no more joy, nor a smile on my face.
In the depths of the sea rest
the remains of my beloved, who will never come back to me.
I still seem to hear his voice.
Next to him lie those who are loved.
They sleep, laughing like children,
in eternal sleep without a tomorrow.
Deianira.
Why do you look at me so?
Don't you even know me?
One knows no one.
Not even ourselves.
Only he who commands us is our master.
Only to our master must we pledge obedience.
Only to him.
No other exists.
No one else exists for me.
My love is dead and in the sea.
My love, who will never come back to me.
It is hopeless, Hercules.
Much has changed in Ecalia since you were last here.
Icy fog has come down from the Hill of the Dead
to poison the air.
People are afraid.
They hide their anguish and horror in their houses.
What are you trying to say, Cirous?
Deianira's madness is the sickness of her people.
Only you can save Ecalia.
And only you can save Deianira from the curse that is killing her.
Explain yourself.
Not now.
Come to my home tonight, the walls are thick and insurmountable.
No one will be able to hear what I tell you.
Who did this, Cirous? Tell me!
The dead cannot answer, Hercules.
Uriteis is already dead.
And so shall die all those who want to reign over the Kingdom of Ecalia.
Evil forces ruled this land before Uriteis' father defeated them
and banished them forever to the Kingdom of the Dead.
From that day their curse has hung over the land.
It will end only when the last descendent
of he who banished them is killed.
There must be a way to fight them.
How?
Can one fight a shadow?
Can one fight the winds, or stop bolts of lightning?
Can one defeat the storms that ravage the Earth?
The raging storms, the bolts of lightning
are sent from heaven by the gods.
But evil is spawned here on Earth.
Therefore, I will ask the gods for a weapon to fight them with.
You want a weapon?
No, Hercules.
The forces of evil have bound me to silence. I must obey.
How is it possible that the gods
abandon us in their blind fury?
No, Hercules. The gods won't abandon you.
But the curse will descend upon the Earth suddenly
and suddenly it will withdraw into the nothingness from which it came.
I cannot tell you more.
Oh, powerful Zeus!
Lord of both the heavens and the Earth,
father who begot me.
I invoke your name and implore you to help.
In return I offer you
my immortality.
My life in exchange for Deianira's.
Oh, mighty and powerful Zeus, I implore you.
Let the Sybil speak and I will obey.
Have you the courage to travel through the gates of Hades,
the domain of Pluto?
No one has ever returned from the Kingdom of the Dead.
A stone shines in the middle of the Earth,
beyond the garden of Hesperides.
A stone that is hidden in the Stygian marsh.
Only there, where death is found,
will you also find life for the one you love.
Thus Zeus has spoken through me.
She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me!
What's happening?
Stop, you cannot go through.
No? Who will stop me?
I will.
I mean, he will.
Who is he?
Theseus, a very dangerous person.
You shouldn't argue with him.
Theseus? He's my friend.
He's the one I came to see.
I don't believe you.
So, you won't let me pass?
No! I said no and I mean it.
Don't you ever get tired?
And you never tire of bothering me?
I told you that he would be angry.
Who is he?
Telemachus. He says he is my fianc�.
He came here to ask her to marry him,
but then I came and we became friends.
- What are... - Don't ask me anything.
Gather your things, we need to leave.
Finally. I was getting bored with nothing to do.
I was getting rusty.
I'll come, too, in case you need...
Where are we going?
- Hades. - Wonderful.
Did you say Hades?
The Kingdom of the Dead?
Yes.
It is the only chance I have to save Deianira.
What happened to her?
I'll tell you later. Now we must go.
Of course, I'm ready.
But how does one get to the center of the Earth alive?
There is only one way.
We must gain possession of the Golden Apple,
kept in the forbidden garden of Hesperides.
An apple?
It has the magical power to grant its possessor
the ability to enter Hades and to come out alive.
All right. The Hesperides are women,
so it won't be hard for us to get what we desire.
Maybe so, but before we can get to the garden of Hesperides
we must convince Sunis to let us use his ship.
That's easy. I know Sunis. I'll be able to convince him.
I wouldn't be so sure.
I'll take care of Sunis.
You two worry about the rest.
Help!
Sunis.
I told him to be careful.
He said he could handle Sunis.
He knew him well.
My ship is yours
if you can survive the challenge of the horse.
If not,
one half of you will end up here,
the other half there.
You there, what are you doing? Leave him.
Who are you?
You are spoiling my little game. Now you'll see!
You're here!
He took me by surprise.
Otherwise... Good thing you two arrived in time.
My horses! My horses!
- Let's go. - Come back here, beasts!
Come back!
Don't run away!
For all the gods! Come back, beasts!
The wind is in our favor.
We're making good time.
Do you like the sea?
Listen.
What do you know about the garden of the Hesperides?
Very little, unfortunately.
I only know
that it's at the edge of the Kingdom of Eternal Night.
Where the sun never rises.
And who are the Hesperides?
They are women condemned by the gods to live in darkness.
Are they pretty?
I don't know. No one has ever seen them.
I'm so sleepy.
I am, too, but we can't.
We can't let sleep overcome us.
I have heard that the Hesperides are fond of eating men...
Theseus, wake up.
You have slept long enough.
Where are we?
Where your boldness has led you.
To the garden of the Hesperides,
in the Kingdom of the Night.
Our queen wishes to speak to you. Wait for her.
I am beginning to think that they do eat men.
Arethusa, the strangers have arrived.
I have already seen them.
Welcome to my home, strangers.
Give thanks to the gods who aided you on your journey.
Never, until now have the gods allowed a mortal man
to reach this sacred, and for you, mysterious land.
My greetings to you, splendid Queen, I am...
I know who you are, Hercules of Thebes.
I know you and your friends.
And I know the reason why you have come to our kingdom.
The Golden Apple that you possess
will help us to enter the gates of Hades,
where we will find that which will save Deianira's life.
We're happy to be able to help you.
First, though, you must pick the Golden Apple.
I warn you, it will not be an easy task.
If you are not able to attain it, your fate will be terrible.
You can abandon your undertaking if you desire.
If you try to take our treasure from us,
you must either pick it or die.
Do you understand?
A new challenge doesn't frighten him.
Where is the Golden Apple kept?
On the Sacred Tree.
Far from the eyes and avarice of everyone.
The gods will take care of Hercules.
Where is Theseus?
Egle is accompanying him to Procrustes' cave.
He will spend his last night there.
Here you are.
You may rest here while you await Hercules' return.
Would you stay with us?
Not on your life.
Are you kidding?
So far they haven't tried to eat us.
Yes, not yet.
I'm sick of never knowing where to step!
There's not a bed of the right size around here.
They're either too long,
or too short.
I knew everything wouldn't go smoothly.
Stop your complaining and get some sleep.
Our real troubles begin tomorrow.
I knew I had grown too tall.
He's survived the wrath of the gods.
But he hasn't succeeded in taking the Golden Apple.
That's what counts for us.
What's he going to do now?
Zeus, my father, guide my hand if what I'm about to do is just.
I'm here!
What is he made of?
He's made of stone!
With this act, you've freed us from the curse of Pluto.
We are the daughters of the sun.
We can finally return to him.
We need live in darkness no longer.
We need no longer kill.
Kill?
Yes.
We were slaves of Procrustes.
Theseus was his last victim.
Theseus?
If he was harmed, I swear by the gods that I will avenge him!
No revenge more than this will be an act of justice.
Be careful.
No weapon can kill him.
He is only vulnerable to himself.
Destroy him, and the gates of Hades will open to you.
But remember to always believe in what you do.
And don't believe in what you see.
Farewell, Hercules.
You will be stretched. You will be stretched even more.
Until your limbs are longer than the ends of the bed.
And you will be as thin as the ropes that bind you.
Then I will tie you into a knot that no one can untie.
You are too tall for this little bed.
I'll solve that problem for you.
I'll do something for you.
No, Hercules! Don't worry about us! Get away from here!
He's made of stone. Run before he kills you!
Of stone you are made and by stone you shall be destroyed.
I'm beginning to envy Telemachus, back onboard the ship.
As long as he keeps watch.
Maybe it was a mistake entrusting him with the Apple.
It's our only hope of returning.
Who's there?
Oh, stranger, listen to my plea.
Free me with your strength.
Stranger, break these chains.
If I become alive again, I will be your slave
for as long as you live.
Save me. I beg you.
Stop. It's a trap!
No, it's not true.
Theseus, don't listen to him.
Break these chains and I will be yours.
Yours forever.
Don't trust the shadows of Hades.
We must pass through these flames.
There is no other way.
We will be roasted alive.
Trust in what you do.
And don't believe in what you see.
Don't jump!
Come on, Theseus. Hurry! Jump!
Here I come, Hercules.
I'll join you. Wait for me.
Look down there.
Can't you see how the tip of that rock glows?
That's the stone that can save Deianira's life.
It almost seems like you can just reach out and take it.
But the marsh makes it unreachable.
Perhaps it's another trick of Pluto's, making it look like
dangers that don't exist.
Let's be careful.
Pluto is no fool.
Neither are we.
Give me your sword.
What are you going to do?
I hope this is the last stone I'll have to throw.
Tie it firmly.
- Hold it still. - Yes.
It's strong enough.
Come on, Theseus, you can do it.
I'm coming.
There is a terrible wind. Be careful!
Hold on tight, Theseus.
Don't let go.
Hold on, I'm coming.
Don't bother about me. Go on ahead, Hercules.
Hang on, Theseus, I'm coming!
Hold on, I'm coming.
Don't worry about me, Hercules.
Go to the rock. Go ahead.
Theseus!
Forgive me, Theseus.
It is my fault you have met your death.
Who are you?
One of the shadows of Hades.
Then I, too, am dead.
Now I remember. That cursed marsh.
But you are alive.
You crossed the infernal mud
before death could claim you.
But you also seem to be alive, shadow of Hades.
Many things are not what they seem down here.
You're trembling. Who are you afraid of?
What threatens you?
The living stone.
What's happened? What is it?
Leave me.
Leave you?
I don't know where this tunnel goes.
I don't even know if we can leave Hades.
I just know that I have you here in my arms.
And I wish this moment would last forever.
This passage will lead us to your ship.
There you will leave me.
Never. You belong to me now.
Nothing can ever separate us.
Not even Hercules?
What do you know about Hercules?
Many things. Also that he will be against your taking me
out of the Kingdom of the Dead.
I came here to help Hercules save his beloved.
Now he will help me save mine.
If you want, we won't tell him anything.
It's about time!
I came to see if you were in trouble.
I see you were able to get the stone.
Wonderful.
Yes, but at a dear price.
Theseus will never again see the light of day.
The marsh of Hades swallowed him.
Sorry to disappoint you, but the marsh of Hades spit me out again.
I'm indigestible even to the King of Hades himself.
I had hoped I was rid of you.
You can't get rid of me.
Let's get away from here.
Our visit to Hades has lasted long enough.
Where is Theseus?
Down below, sleeping.
Still!
We must take down the sail
or the mast will break.
Wake up Theseus
and tell him to hurry, if he wants to live.
Who are you? Tell me your name.
What does it matter?
Don't be startled. It's me.
Hercules wants you up on deck.
The sky has turned black, a fierce storm is coming
that will wipe us out.
Come quickly!
Pluto has let loose the wind on us
to stop us from leaving the center of the Earth.
Pluto? We never offended Pluto.
Why should he be angry with us?
Where is the Apple of the Hesperides!
The Apple? Hercules has it.
You must cast it overboard.
But it's our only hope to go through the gates of Hades.
Cast it into the sea! Do as I say!
Go astern. I'll take care of the sail.
Theseus! What are you doing? Are you mad?
That was our only way of returning home!
I should strangle you with my bare hands to punish you for your madness.
Look there.
- You see why I cast the Apple into the sea? - Forgive me.
But how did you know?
Sometimes I, too, have flashes of inspiration.
Let's make sail for Ecalia.
Without you, I would have never succeeded in my journey.
Thank you, Theseus.
I wanted to haul up the sail.
Help me! Let me loose!
Hercules, help me!
Help, Hercules! Help!
- Hello, friends. - Hello, Hercules.
What happened here?
Someone offended the gods and they abandoned us.
A fire from the sky came down on us, draining all the rivers
and burning all the fields.
My daughter is dead.
Our fields are destroyed.
There's no more water in the river!
My children are dead.
Help, Hercules. Liberate us from the wrath of the gods.
It's his fault!
He went to the Kingdom of the Dead.
This is Pluto's revenge.
Why are you sad?
Did I disappoint you?
No.
You are the most wonderful thing
that has ever come into my life.
But I'm afraid.
I am afraid that our happiness
will bring misfortune to your people.
You don't really know who I am.
What does it matter?
I know what you mean to me.
You are my only reason for living.
You are the woman of my dreams.
You are all I could ever desire.
As for your name, perhaps it could be...
Meiazotide.
You.
Then you're Pluto's favorite daughter.
Yes.
His anger will be directed towards you and your people.
Nothing will stop him.
Our love is impossible.
Even Hercules will become our enemy.
No, you must not think that.
Nothing will ever separate us.
And no one.
To defend my love
I would kill even Hercules.
Look. New blood is flowing through her veins.
She's returning to life.
Oh, merciless gods of darkness, don't abandon me.
Do not abandon Lyco, King of Ecalia.
You shall be king of Ecalia for all eternity.
But until your destiny is fulfilled,
on the night that the moon is devoured by the great dragon,
you must take into your veins the blood of Deianira.
Because through her veins, the same blood flows as yours.
Deianira's death will be your life. Her blood will be yours.
How can I
do this if Hercules is with her.
Not even the forces of Hades could defeat him.
Hercules has offended Pluto, and so lost the help of the gods.
Separate Deianira from Hercules,
and we will be alongside you to destroy those who live and love, who weep and die.
Lure Hercules away.
Slay Deianira.
You will be king for eternity.
Yes, king for all eternity.
Hercules.
What nightmares I've had.
That mouth full of blood.
A nightmare without end. You were so far away.
You were far away.
Calm down. It's over now.
It was deathly cold.
How can a dream be so horrible!
Smile, my love. The nightmare is over.
We are together again. Nothing can harm you.
Look, Deianira. The moon is rising.
Your last day of suffering is finally over.
Don't be afraid, it's Lyco.
I thank you from the heart for saving Deianira.
Our people should also celebrate.
But, alas, they believe the famine which plagues us
was caused by Hercules.
That for your love, he defiled the mysterious Kingdom of the Dead.
The gods are not so cruel as to wish Deianira to die.
There must be some other cause.
Yes, but what could it be?
We must find out right away.
You should consult the oracle. She alone can answer you.
I shall go to her tonight at once.
A wise decision.
When I think that what is happening
is because of me,
I almost wish that you had let me die.
You mustn't speak like this.
If anyone is at fault, it is certainly not you.
All this is brought about
by the terrible destiny that hangs over me
and over those that are dear to me.
I want to share with you whatever fate lies in your path.
Without you, life does not exist.
Do not leave this room for any reason until my return.
And always keep the living stone by your side.
No, Hercules. Don't leave me alone!
The night frightens me.
Everything frightens me when you're not with me.
This will be the last time I'll leave you.
I promise you, my love.
Leave in peace. Deianira will be safe.
No one would dare to cross the threshold of her room.
And I will guard her with my life.
Thank you, Lyco.
The shadow of the great dragon already hangs over us.
Neither by night nor by day shall you be granted sleep.
All mankind must atone for the sin committed against the gods.
To vindicate the offence against him
Pluto has allowed the forces of evil
to unleash their fury against your Earth.
If to love a woman and bring her back to life is a sin,
then I am willing to pay the price.
The gods read the hearts of men.
They know your love is deep and pure, Hercules.
Then what is the cause of their anger?
What must I do to placate them?
Free Theseus' heart from a love that is wrong
for a woman that is not for him.
Sybil?
How can I ask Theseus to renounce his love for his woman?
It's impossible. He would never do it.
Just as I would never give up my love for Deianira.
His love is wrong.
When you realize the reason why
you yourself will force him to renounce her.
This is the only way the anger of the gods will be placated.
But tonight, when the great dragon devours the moon,
watch over Deianira.
This horrible howling!
Who knows how many more innocent victims will die tonight.
Enough, enough!
Be calm, Deianira.
Hercules will be back soon.
Don't cry. Try to rest.
Was that the guards?
Are they going away?
No, maybe they're changing guard.
You wait here and I'll go and see.
It was you, Lyco.
Yes, it was I.
This time you shall not escape.
Theseus, a terrible calamity has befallen our people.
Only you can save other innocents from dying.
How?
There is only one way.
You are in love with a girl against the will of the gods.
This is the cause of the misfortunes befallen us.
Perhaps. But you should know
that besides making me happy
she also deserves your gratitude.
What do you mean?
How do you think the storm was calmed
that threatened to destroy our ship on our way back from Hades?
Do you think we could have returned
without the help of someone close to the gods themselves?
Who is that woman?
Meiazotide.
Meiazotide?
Yes, Meiazotide, the child of Pluto and the woman he took from her mother.
In the same way he stole Prosperina's destiny as a woman,
I took his beloved daughter
away from her destiny as a goddess.
Theseus, listen to me.
You don't realize what is happening, what will happen,
if you don't give up this girl you love.
It's strange that you should talk to me this way.
You, who dared challenge the gods
for your own love of a woman.
And I was there at your side.
I was not opposed to it, as you're doing with me now.
It is just this which renders my mission so painful.
Theseus,
try to understand my position.
Get out!
Get out of this house!
I implore you, Theseus.
Come to your senses. For your happiness.
If the gods gave me another alternative, I'd give my life.
There is only one alternative, Hercules.
My death, or yours.
As long as I live, I will never give up Meiazotide.
I'll have the courage to kill you.
You must have courage, too.
Defend yourself.
This is no duel, Theseus.
You're only trying to kill yourself.
You know well that your love for Meiazotide has no future.
You don't have the courage to survive this desperate passion.
It's not true. Meiazotide will stay with me.
Get out of here!
Get out of here before I kill you!
Go away!
Don't make me kill you.
I would never be at peace again.
Go on!
What are you waiting for?
Do it, then!
Kill me!
No, Hercules!
Don't do it! Throw away the sword.
You must know how useless it would be.
You would never forgive yourself.
I love him very much.
But I know it has only been a beautiful dream.
Look at him.
His will is gone.
I've given him the gift of forgetfulness.
And when he awakens, I'll be far away.
Forgive me.
The blame is mine, and only mine.
I couldn't resist loving like a common mortal.
I wanted to experience happiness.
Don't be concerned about him.
He will forget me.
He'll think it was all a dream.
Now take heed, you must not lose time.
Go to Ecalia right away.
Deianira is in danger.
In danger?
This very night, when the dragon devours the moon,
the evil one will drink her blood.
And she will become a creature of the damned.
Who are you accusing?
There is only one man
who dreams of stealing the kingdom of Deianira.
You know who it is.
I can't believe it.
You can't mean Lyco.
Yes.
Go now to Deianira.
Because the magic power of the living stone
that has protected her until now will disappear with me.
Go.
Deianira!
No, Hercules, it's not her.
Deianira has disappeared.
We have searched everywhere, but to no avail.
And Lyco, where is he?
No one has seen him.
His rooms are hidden underground
where no one, not even the servants, can enter.
I must find him. Immediately!
Oh, god of evil,
the great dragon is swallowing the moon.
And now my destiny shall be fulfilled.
The blood of Deianira shall be my blood.
And I shall reign for eternity in your name.
Eternal shall be the sorrows of Hercules.
And eternal shall be the night for the woman he loves.
Stop!
You can not slay the dead, Hercules.
Deianira.
Oh, god of Hades.
Give peace to the Earth.
Let it be that Meiazotide's sacrifice
shall not have been in vain.
Hercules. Deianira.
I could not have hoped for a greater gift from the gods.
How are you, Theseus?
Fine, fine.
But you seem sad. What's the matter?
I don't know.
In the last few days I had a strange dream.
Beautiful and yet terrible at the same time.
It seemed that a wonderful girl,
maybe a goddess, was in love with me.
Then when I tried to...
Hello, my friends. Have you heard the news?
Jocasta and I are getting married.
She finally said yes!
Jocasta, but you were the girl in my dreams.
You were the goddess.
Me, what?
Yes, it was you I dreamed about.
Oh, my love.
Damn!
Why did I have to come here?
I might as well drown myself.
Man's love is passionate, but often inconsistent.
Ours will last forever.