Standing with his hands on his hips, his head tilted up at the demigod, trying not to laugh, Iolaus grinned as he replied, "I don't know, Herc. I think Jason is very serious. And, he's right. You'd do a great job."

Casting a disbelieving look at his best friend, Hercules raised his hands in exasperation. "Oh, come on," he disparaged. "Don't you start. Me? Give a lecture to the graduating class? On leadership? No way. You think it's such a great idea, you do it. You're the one with the glib tongue and amazing stories."

Laughing at his friend's dismay, Iolaus patted him reassuringly on the bicep. "Not a chance. They don't want to hear from 'Iolaus who?' They want to hear the wisdom of the great Hercules, Son of Zeus, defender of the people, hero, and all round good guy. Jason wouldn't have asked if he didn't know what he was doing. Come on, Herc. It'll be fun."

"Uh uh," Hercules mumbled, rolling up the scroll and sticking it in his belt as he turned away. "You're as crazy as he is. I don't give speeches�"

But, Iolaus cut in to bring a little reality into the discussion, his voice ringing with his disbelief that Hercules could say such a thing. "*Don't give speeches? Give me a break! You're always giving speeches to villagers and townspeople, urging them to trust themselves, to do what's right, to take action against oppressors! Gods, Herc, you're famous for your pithy little homilies about decency and the possibility of a better life�you're an inspiration. Gods know, you rally the folks and they all fall into line to do the right thing."

"Inspiration, huh? Yeah, right," Hercules grimaced, rolling his eyes, honestly unaware of the impact he had when he spoke unconsciously, from the heart. "I'm not doing this, Iolaus. I can't."

"You can," Iolaus insisted, jabbing a finger at him. "And, what's more, you will."

"No, I won't," Hercules insisted, as he turned to walk down the dusty road toward somewhere, anywhere, that was in the direct, opposite direction from the Academy.

"Wanna bet?" Iolaus called after him, his eyes bright with laughter.

"No," Hercules growled, as he continued on his way.

'Maybe I should have taken that bet,' Hercules thought as he gazed in dismay at the attentive young and earnest faces staring at him with rapt expectation. 'Maybe then I'd never have let him talk me into this!'

The demigod looked around the classroom, feeling ridiculous and at a complete loss for words as his eyes found Jason, whose smile reflected his delight that Hercules had accepted his invitation to address his first graduating class as the master of the Academy. Leaning back against the window embrasure, he waited with a deep sense of pride that this fine man was one of his very best and oldest friends, as eager as the cadets to hear what he had to say.

'No help there,' Hercules thought, his gaze again roving the room, seeking out the eyes of his best friend. Iolaus was sprawled on a chair in the back of the room, his legs spread out in front of him, his arms crossed. Giving him a bright smile of encouragement, his buddy rolled one hand a little, as if saying, 'So, get on with it already.'

Hercules wanted to strangle him. But, he couldn't, not right now. Later. He promised himself he would strangle Iolaus later. How had he let his buddy talk him into this? Sighing, swallowing hard, he decided he'd better find a way to start or he'd be standing here like an idiot for the rest of the day. What had Iolaus said? Oh yeah. 'Just say what you know to be true�talk to them as if they were your sons, kids that you want to prepare for the lives they are going to live. Just tell them how to make a difference, how to live meaningful lives. Simple.'

Right. Simple.

Clearing his throat, Hercules began. "Uh, hello. Well, Jason has introduced me, and I guess I should thank him for the opportunity to speak to you today, but you'll have to be the judges of whether or not this was a good idea. I'm not much of a speaker, I'm afraid, more given to action than words. But, before I get started, I want to introduce you to my best friend and partner, Iolaus of Thebes, who is sitting in the back, looking just as serious and studious as he looked every day that he and Jason and I sat where you are sitting now." Curious eyes swiveled to take in the relaxed figure in the back of the room, who gave them a jaunty wave, and a few snickered at his less than studious look.

Iolaus covered his mouth to hold back his own snicker. It wouldn't help Herc to think his buddy was laughing at him. He sat a little straighter, giving Hercules a confident smile and nodding again to give him encouragement. Iolaus wasn't worried. He knew once Hercules got started, that he really would be great.

Hercules pulled his eyes away from his friend, to once again gaze at the cadets facing him. His arms bent at the elbows, his fingers laced in front of his chest like a small tent, Hercules swallowed once more and then nodded decisively. If he was going to do this, he'd better do it right. "Today, I want to talk to you about leadership and commitment�because it's by being leaders, and by being committed to something bigger than yourselves that you, each and every one of you, can create the future you want."

A few faces frowned in puzzlement, while other shuffled and straightened. One diligent soul picked up a pen and dipped it into the moist cake of ink on his desk, preparing to write down everything the demigod said. Hercules looked away from the youth with the pen. It was bad enough to have to speak to these kids without thinking that one of them was going to take notes for posterity. Distracted, raking a nervous hand through his hair, he wondered, 'Where was I? Oh yeah�'

"Let's start with leadership. You might think you have to be a general, or someone important to lead, but you don't. Leadership in structured, well organized and predictable situations is easy�give an order and it'll likely be followed if you have the authority. Soldiers drill every day so that they'll be able to follow a command with scarcely a thought, and that's fine in its way. But, the world isn't safe or predictable, and most of us aren't in a position to just order people around. True leaders embody the values that people believe in, live those values every day in everything that they do, so that they are credible and predictable, even if the situation isn't. By behaving with predictable integrity, leaders gain the trust of others. And, leaders need to be close to the action, able to see a different alternative from the current unacceptable reality, able to describe it, explain it and engage others in wanting to share it. If you don't know where you want to go, if you don't have an idea of how to make things better or different, don't be surprised if no one follows you. And, another thing, the same person doesn't have to be the leader all the time�anyone can lead when it is their time, when they have the skills needed, when they have the idea, the vision, of what needs to be done."

Hercules looked up at the cadets, and saw the boredom on some of their faces. He wasn't making it interesting enough, or he was being too general or something. He needed to capture their imagination. "There are certain qualities true leaders have that draw other people to them. For one thing, leaders have to really care about the people, about their welfare, love them even though that may sound corny. But, people can tell when someone really cares about them, and is more interested in them, in what they want or need, than what is just good for the one trying to lead them. You can't really fool people, you know. You can't manipulate them into doing what you want if it's not something they also want to do. Oh, if you have enough power, you can force them, I guess. But, they will resist you, find reasons not to do what you want or only do it grudgingly�and as soon as the force you use is gone, they'll go back to doing what they want. When you manipulate them, try to figure out what buttons to push to make them work, you're thinking of them as things, not as people�and they can tell. Leaders also have to believe absolutely in the possibility of greatness in the people around them, the possibility that those people can be better than they ever thought they could be, that they can do more than they ever believed they could imagine. If you don't believe that about them, how can you lead them to greatness, how can you expect them to do what is needed, when it's needed? So, you can't force them�instead, you need to engage them in what you are trying to achieve, so that they will bring their whole hearts with them when they join with you to achieve that change, that possibility."

Some of them were still listening, but some were beginning to gaze out of the window. This wasn't going well. It still wasn't personal enough. "Think about it," Hercules said, trying to engage their interest. "If someone tries to sell you something, tells you it's good for you and that you will thank them some day, what do you do? What do you feel? That there's a trick somewhere? That they're likely trying to cheat you? So, you pull back, right? You resist them. If someone orders you to do something you don't want to do, do you do it freely, with enthusiasm? Or do you point out that you don't know how, or that you don't have time, or that you have something else you're supposed to do, or do it half-heartedly, hoping they'll get off your back?"

He saw a few heads nodding, and a couple of unwilling grins. "Exactly!" he said into the eyes of those starting to get it. "Well, everyone else is the same way. They can tell if you are acting on their behalf or your own. Okay, then, so how do you engage them in doing something great, something that might even be risky for them to do? Well, it's got to be something they, too, can believe in and want to make happen. They have to share your vision, your hope for the future and be willing to work with you to achieve it. So, we come to the idea of having a commitment to something bigger than yourselves, to something meaningful and important, something better than what exists today."

Hercules risked a glance at Iolaus, and found his buddy sitting up, listening with the others, smiling and nodding in agreement. Feeling a little more settled, he began to think he might survive this after all. "When you make a commitment, I'm not talking about something ordinary, something that would happen whether you acted or not�that's just drifting along with the status quo. I'm talking about your capacity to create something, invent something that never existed before, something that you might even believe is impossible. For example, how many of you honestly believe it's possible to fly?"

Well, that got their attention. Several openly shook their heads and none indicated any belief in that possibility. "Well, first of all, if you don't believe it, you'll never look for a way to make it happen. It's impossible, so why would you even try. But, I can tell you, I have flown in a narrow wagon-like thing that had long, wide, thin sides that jutted out into the air, with a blade in front that went around so fast I couldn't see it move, and it was powered by something I didn't understand�but, believe me, I flew. And because that flying wagon worked, a friend and I escaped when Atlantis blew up and sank into the sea. Now, I don't know how someone made it or figured out how to make it work�but it existed, it did work. I have a friend, an inventor, named Daedalus, and he invents all kinds of weird and, and well, sometimes pretty crazy stuff. He's the guy who built the huge palace at Knossus. He came up with structural ideas to build something massive which would survive earthquakes, which would have natural internal cooling systems, and a system of hot and cold running water inside the building to provide baths and latrines for more than one thousand people. He could teach our builders a thing or two. Anyway, one day, he figured out how people could fly. But, it didn't work in every situation, and sadly, his son, Icarus, flew too close to the sun and melted the wax holding his wings together, and he fell�and died. But, the point is, he did fly, and if he hadn't've flown so high, he wouldn't've crashed. You see, it's not impossible. Someday, someone will figure out again how to make a wagon fly, because they will believe in the possibility.

"You have to believe something is possible to bring your creative ideas, and energy into action, to make it happen. If you don't believe it in the first place, it'll never happen, because you'll never try."

They were all listening now. They'd heard of Atlantis, and Daedalus�but, more importantly, they didn't believe Hercules would lie to them. They knew he was an honest man. So, it had to be true, even if it did sound crazy. Gods, maybe he was right. Maybe anything was possible. Frowning in concentration, they paid closer attention.

"Let's take another example. Peace. Unfortunately, war in Greece has been a way of life for countless generations. But, what if we believed peace was really possible, and engaged others in making the idea come into being? That's what King Orestes did. He believed in something bigger than himself, believed it was possible. So, he set out to engage his fellow leaders in joining with him to make the concept real. And, now, several states in Greece have formed the League of Peace, and the people who live there all enjoy the security and safety of states that are not constantly preparing for, or fighting a war."

"Yeah, but Orestes was a King," someone muttered. "Not an ordinary guy like us."

Hercules glanced back at Iolaus, who had stiffened and was frowning at him, subtly shaking his head. Swallowing, Hercules knew he couldn't betray Iolaus' secret. Biting his lip, he looked toward the cadet who had made the observation. "Yes, Orestes was a King. But, he could not command his peers. He had to meet with them simply as one man with an idea, an idea he believed in and that he got them to believe in, too, so that they would stand with him. The man won their commitment, got them to share in the vision. He fought with another king, as an equal, man to man, when King Xenon tried to betray them all. I know what you're going to say. King Orestes died for what he believed in�but, the League does exist because of the actions one man took to engage others in his dream. His dream was actualized, it did come true. Sometimes, when you are really committed to something bigger than you are, you have to be willing to give up who you are, even give up what you love, even your life. If it's worthwhile, you'll do that, you'll risk that, and you'll do it without regret.

"There's something strange about making a commitment to something that you're not sure might even be possible. You might not even know where to begin, but just by making the commitment, all of a sudden, you begin to see things differently, you see possibilities, opportunities, that you were blind to before. For example, do you remember what it was like before you knew how to track? You'd wander around the forest hoping to spot some game and maybe you'd get lucky�or, more likely, you'd end up hungry. But, after you learned to track, all of a sudden, you see trails leading in all sorts of directions. You can follow a boar, or a deer, a rabbit�or, you can track a man, follow his trail through other tracks, because you know what you're looking for, you can spot the signs that before you'd never have seen. Making a commitment is like that�it gives you signs, provides a trail to follow, one step at a time."

He had them now. They could relate to what he was saying, could see that it made a kind of sense. "You see, when you have a commitment, when you believe anything is possible, you don't have to be stuck with what is. You don't have to be a victim, unable to act. Having a commitment gives you the ability to act, a path to follow, a way to be in this world. A slave who believes he'll never be free, never will be. A slave who knows freedom is possible will find a way, if not for himself, then for his family. A person who is poor and hungry, can be bitter and feel helpless. Or, she can believe that life still holds possibilities and will share what she has, happy just to be alive, to feel the sun, to play with children�and, in a strange way, she will be richer than a queen in her palace who has no time to enjoy the world around her, no time for personal friendships, no time to spend with her own child. And, when you are able to act, you have the responsibility to act. When people see that you will act, that you make good on your promises, they will have confidence in you, they will learn to trust you�they will see you as a leader."

Quietly, Hercules continued, "The future doesn't really exist except in our imaginations�it's just an idea, a possibility, until we bring it into being. If what is just isn't good enough, if the world isn't what it needs to be, then imagine what it could be, and commit yourself to bringing something better into existence. Now, that's not to say it will all go smoothly. Sometimes, you'll get caught, hooked, on things that will distract you. You might get more concerned about being right than in achieving what you're aiming for�and when that happens, you get hooked into arguments, into trying to sell or persuade people, instead of just focusing your energy and your attention on doing what needs to be done. Sometimes, you'll be afraid, and you'll either react aggressively, trying to force people to do what you want, in which case they'll just resist and frustrate you further, or you'll give up and end up being disappointed in yourself, telling yourself that you're useless, good for nothing. In both cases, you've gotten hooked on how you feel and lost sight of what it was you were really trying to achieve. Sometimes, you'll hesitate to act because you're worried that people won't agree with you, or may even think you're crazy�but, if that's what stops you, then you're giving up the right to your own choices and actions to be controlled by what someone else thinks is right. Sometimes, you'll get trapped into resisting what already exists, trapped into fighting what occurred in the past and is already over, or trying to figure out how to make sure what happened never happens again�but, again, you're focusing on the past at that point, not the future. And, the worst thing about it is, ultimately, you only get what you resist. Think about it, think of any problem that you tried to solve that didn't just create a new problem with the solution. Think about resisting someone you don't like or respect�they just keep coming back at you, using more power if necessary, to bring you into line. You get what you resist�you get stuck. Don't waste your time or energy on any of that stuff�keep focused on the future, on your commitment and keep working toward it, moving through and past the things that would otherwise become obstacles and trap you in what is."

Hercules looked around the room. They were all listening now�the kid with the pen had even forgotten to take notes, so rapt was his attention on the demigod's words. Good, maybe he was getting through to them.

"One last point. Remember, what you see, what you believe, isn't all there is. A lot of what you see is what you expect to see, and you are blind to other possibilities, not open to them, because you just don't notice they are there. What you believe is based on what you've been taught since you were kids, and on your experience of life so far�but, that's not all there is, nor is it even necessarily true. For example, you might have failed at doing something so now you figure you just can't do it and you no longer try�but it doesn't mean you couldn't learn. You might believe people from a certain city are the enemy, but they are just people, like you, trying to do the best they can. If you never get to know them, you'll never know they might be friends, not enemies. Nobody sees the world in exactly the same way�we all colour what we see by our beliefs and experiences. Having a commitment to something different, even impossible, can help us to see things differently, help us to see possibilities that we wouldn't otherwise see. For example, I know a man who made friends with a monster, a monster he'd fought with in the past. But, one day, instead of seeing the monster, he saw a mother terrified by the disappearance of her child. He followed her into the depths of the earth, and was seriously at risk because she really can be dangerous, and she was very upset, not behaving in any rationale way. But, he saw past her appearance to the broken heart inside, and he cared about her, worried about her�and she could tell. She'd move heaven and earth to help him now, to stand by him, where she has little use for other mortals. He sees a different possibility in her, and in seeing it, he enables her to be something different with him than she is with others. If you see a monster, or a jerk, or an enemy, then all you'll see are the behaviours that reinforce your perceptions and beliefs. If you see someone with other possibilities, someone complete and worthy in their own right, then you'll get worthiness and possibility. You get what you look for."

Hercules paused a moment. "Does any of this make sense to you?" he asked.

They shuffled a bit, then one brave soul put up a hand. When Hercules nodded, the youth objected, "You make it sound easy. But, with all respect, you are a demigod, not like one of us, not really. You have different powers and you can see the gods. People will do things for you that they wouldn't do for an ordinary mortal. And, the examples you gave�well, most of us aren't brilliant inventors, or kings, however much you point out that they were also men. People need to be brilliant, or have wealth or power before they can do great things. It's just too hard for someone ordinary to do what you say, to invent the future, to make the impossible real."

Hercules smiled softly as he glanced first at Jason and then at Iolaus before answering. "You're right, I guess, in that I am different. I have the strength to move a mountain�but the truth is, you can too. It just might take you a little longer." Snickers erupted at his answer but he waved them to silence. "Seriously, I shouldn't make fun. The fact is, every mortal has the possibility of greatness inside of them�every mortal."

Pausing a moment, Hercules looked toward the back of the room. Smiling a little, he said, "Let me tell you about someone I know. He was a kid who had a tough time at home, and who even had to live on the streets for a while, stealing to survive. But, he has become one of the greatest heroes Greece has ever known, and certainly the greatest hunter and mortal warrior of this age or any other. This is a man who faces down gods, and who has killed monsters that terrorized innocent people. A man who just doesn't know how to quit, doesn't know how to give up, who always believes there is another possibility, another way to not just survive but triumph."

He had their attention now as they wondered who he was talking about. "You've heard of the myth of the Spirit Healer�well, this mortal broke the curse Hera had placed on the young woman, even at the risk of his own life. She was just a stranger to him, but she needed help and he'll never stand aside when someone needs help. He's a man who freed people who had been drugged and enslaved by an evil man, overcoming torture to prevail. He's the man I just mentioned, who tamed the heart of the Mother of All Monsters. A man who helped defeat Dahok, the most terrible evil being this world has ever known, and gave his life to do it. And, he's a man who didn't believe even death could hold him when he found out the world, all of us, were threatened with destruction, with oblivion. He found a way back to warn me, to help me change our collective destiny."

Hercules was still gazing at the back of the room, a reflective look on his face as he continued quietly, "He's gone back in time to save my life before I was even born. He fought an evil sovereign in another dimension to steal away the Hind's blood that was being used to poison the God Zeus in that dimension. He faced certain death another time to save my life and in doing so, he brought Zeus' own soul back from the Garden of Souls beneath the earth, so that Zeus could be restored to life and the twilight of the gods, and all the destruction that presaged for all of us, was brought to an end. He's a man who risks everything he is, offers his very life, time and again, to do what's right, with no expectation of thanks. Half the time, nobody even notices he's around, and he doesn't even seem to care much about that. You'd think that what he does is hard, unusual. But, he just shrugs and says it's no big deal. It's just what he does, who he is. It is his way of being in the world."

Eyes had widened as Hercules described this mythical mortal. How could someone go back in time or come back from being dead. It didn't make sense. Even though they hesitated to think the demigod was lying to them, this was just a little too much to believe. An ordinary mortal did all that? Not likely. Several shook their heads in disbelief, while one muttered, "The guy has to be a god." And, another answered, "No single mortal could do all that," while other murmured, "Maybe he's a sorcerer, able to work magic." Several, emboldened, called out, "You can't expect us to believe all that�no such mortal exists. He'd have to be as rich as Croesus to buy the miracles you describe from the gods!"

Hercules looked over their heads at his partner. Iolaus had leaned forward, his forearms on his thighs, his hands clasped as he stared down at the floor. Herc could see him shake his head a little, surprised and disconcerted that Hercules had chosen to use him as an example of leadership and commitment.

His face serious, his gaze remaining on his friend, Hercules responded, "No, he's no god. He's as vulnerable as any mortal. He isn't a sorcerer or rich, far from it. He's an ordinary guy, scruffy, a little on the small side actually�" Iolaus looked up through a frown at that, "and he hasn't got a dinar to his name. But, he's the bravest man I've ever known. Everything I've ever learned about courage, I've learned from him. He's the best warrior, the best tracker and hunter who ever lived. He lives everyday in accordance with his values, and he believes, really believes, that anything can be possible. And besides all the amazing things he's done, he's a raconteur, able to spin tales of amazing deeds and adventures, he likes to sing and party and laugh�a lot. He'd be the first one to tell you he's just an ordinary mortal, nothing special. Of course, I think he's special. I think he's amazing. I owe my life to him, more times than I'll ever be able to count. He's a man who changes the world and invents the future almost every day, making our world a better place just by being who he is."

"Yeah, right," called out a disparaging voice. "So, just exactly who is this paragon of men? I'd like to meet him."

Iolaus shook his head and looked away. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate all that Hercules had said, but there was no way these kids would believe he'd done all those things, and that would just compromise everything else Herc had tried to tell them. They'd miss the point. This wasn't about him�it was about what they could make happen in their own lives.

But, Hercules just smiled. "You have met him. Just a few minutes ago. I'm proud, and very lucky, to be able to say that this self-proclaimed 'ordinary mortal' is my partner and my best friend�Iolaus of Thebes." Hercules waved in a flourish toward the back of the room.

"Huh?" "What?" "You've got to be kidding!" Voices murmured as the cadets turned as one to stare at the man at the back of the room�small and a little scruffy, who didn't look like he had a dinar to his name. This guy had killed monsters and faced down gods, gone into the past, and come back from the dead?

No way.

Iolaus looked up, blushing a little, reading the disbelief in their eyes. He sighed as he looked up toward the front of the classroom at Hercules and shrugged a little self-consciously.

"You really did all that he said?" one voice challenged, with more than a hint of incredulity.

Iolaus just nodded. "Yeah, I did," he replied simply, knowing they'd never believe it. Gods, he wasn't sure he believed it�and he'd lived it.

Jason straightened from where he'd been leaning against the wall to walk over to stand beside Iolaus. Placing a hand on his old friend's shoulder, he said, his voice a little husky, "I can assure all of you that everything Hercules has told you about this man is absolutely true�and there's lots more he didn't tell you. I'm also very proud that Iolaus is one of my best friends, and he's the first mortal I'd choose to stand beside me in a tough situation." Turning to face the gathered assembly of cadets, Jason continued quietly, "Everything Hercules told you is the simple truth. Each and every one of you can aspire to be like this man. You, too, can be a leader, a hero, you can change the world as we know it, invent a different, better future. If you want someone to aspire to be like, someone to learn from and emulate, this is the man."

But, Jason could also see the disbelief continuing to haunt their eyes. He could feel Iolaus tremble a little under his hand, embarrassed by the attention and the fact that no one believed him capable of those great deeds. The fact was, he just didn't look like a great hero. The former king looked toward the front of the classroom at Hercules, who was frowning, wondering how to convince these kids, regretting the shadow of pain he could see lurking in Iolaus' eyes at the scoffing of the cadets.

Jason straightened. "Well," he said, "perhaps a little demonstration is in order. There's what, twenty of you here, all of you trained as well as attendance at this Academy can achieve. I don't have any monsters or gods handy, but perhaps you'll believe Iolaus is the greatest warrior you'll ever have the good fortune to meet when he beats you into the dust, all by himself."

"No way," someone snickered. Like that little guy could take all of them. Not in this life.

"What?" Iolaus exclaimed, looking up at Jason, with a look of absolute consternation. But, Hercules was grinning and nodding his head. It wouldn't hurt these disbelievers to experience a little humility, and maybe learn appearances weren't everything.

"Everyone, to the exercise hall. Now," Jason commanded, never having lost that peculiar timbre of a king who fully expects to be obeyed without question.

The cadets scrambled to their feet and clattered out of the classroom, shaking their heads and wondering if the Master of the Academy had just taken leave of his senses. Gods, not only was the guy little, he was old! If they weren't careful, they'd hurt him�and they really didn't want to hurt someone both the demigod and the master said was their best friend. Ah well, it was a diversion�certainly a far cry from the usual lectures at the Academy.

Iolaus stood to face Jason as he protested, "Jason, this is crazy�and it won't make any difference. They're never going to believe all that stuff Hercules just told them�and they'll forget the important things he had to say. This is a mistake."

"Maybe," allowed the former King of Corinth, "but, I didn't like their skepticism. They are far too quick to judge, far too quick to discount what they don't believe is possible. Which was the whole point of what Hercules was trying to tell them. They need to learn that there can be different truths, that what they see and believe isn't all there is. They think pretty highly of themselves, Iolaus, just as we did when we were their age. And, they are pretty good with the weapons they've learned to use here. They don't honestly believe that any ordinary guy could ever beat them, even one on one let alone all of them at once. You're going to show them the error of their ways, that all their assumptions are just that. Assumptions, not truth."

Hercules had moved back to join them, and now added his own voice to Jason's. "It'll take you about ten minutes, if that, to lay them out, Iolaus. Come on, buddy. Show them your stuff."

Iolaus scowled up at the demigod. "You're just getting even for the fact that I made you come here to speak to them," he muttered.

Hercules grinned. "Well, yeah, maybe a little�but, Jason's right. They need to learn a lesson and you're just the man to teach them. Let's not keep them waiting."

Sighing, knowing he had no real choice, Iolaus nodded and led the other two out of the classroom. Gods, how did he get into these situations? Snickering a little at himself, he shook his head. Too easy. He hung around with a crazy demigod who didn't believe anything was impossible and too much of Herc's worldview had rubbed off on him. Straightening, whistling a little, he figured this just might be fun. He'd show them what a 'scruffy little guy without a dinar to his name' could do. Later, he'd make Herc pay for that description.

When they reached the hall, the cadets were all waiting for them, standing around the huge open space, quietly making bets with one another about how quickly they'd be able to knock the little guy into next week. Jason moved to face them, his hands on his hips as he looked them over, waiting for the silence that wasn't long in coming. "Choose your weapons," he said quietly.

Startled, they looked around at one another. They were going to take on this guy fully armed? Gods, they could kill him by accident. Was the Master of the Academy nuts? Still, he was waiting and he didn't look like he was kidding. Shrugging, some picked up staffs, others chose swords, while others grabbed spears or pikes from the stands along the wall. When they were ready, they came back to stand before Jason, but their eyes were on the small, blond mortal standing behind him. Wasn't the guy going to get a weapon? Surely he wasn't going to face them all unarmed? Gods, he was crazy, too.

Though he could imagine what they were thinking, Iolaus just stood there, relaxed, his arms crossed as he studied them all thoughtfully. He'd watched them as they'd moved across the hall. Shaking his head, he reflected that they all looked so young, and wondered if he'd ever looked that innocent. He'd have to be careful not to seriously hurt any of them.

Jason and Hercules moved back and away to the wall, leaving Iolaus standing alone in front of them. There was a silence, broken only when Iolaus asked quietly, "Well, are you just going to stand there? Attack me already!"

There was an instant's hesitation, and then yells filled the hall as the cadets rushed him. He'd already chosen his first targets�four of the cadets on the right side at the front. Two were armed with staffs and two with pikes. Waiting until they were almost upon him, he suddenly dropped and rolled, bowling them over so that they got all tangled up in one another. Breaking through past them, he came smoothly to his feet, spinning to kick out, clipping three of them in turn in the head, knocking them out and then bringing his clasped hands down on the neck of the fourth before the cadet could finish scrambling to his feet, sending him crashing back down to the floor.

While the others were regrouping, to charge his new position, Iolaus flipped backward and up onto the balance beam. Racing along it, he leapt up to grab the two rings hanging from the ceiling and swung back over the press of cadets who'd become confused by the speed of his motion, twisting to follow him, knocking into one another. Swinging across the room to the far side of the group, he dropped down onto the shoulders of one of the taller cadets and cut down hard with his elbows on either side of the youth's neck, sending the kid to the floor, stunned. Rolling with him, Iolaus came to his feet and ducked the swing of a staff aimed at his head. Grabbing up a staff of his own from the floor, he blocked and parried the next blow, swiveling on his heel and bringing it around hard and fast, clearing a space in the crowd around him as they jumped back out of reach. He jabbed one cadet in the solar plexis, winding him, and clipped another on the side of the head, deftly swiveling again away from someone coming up behind him to bring the staff around at the kid's knees, knocking him off his feet. Using the staff as a pole vault, he levered himself up and away from a cluster of cadets who were trying to overwhelm him, kicking one into unconsciousness as he flew up over their heads to land lightly behind them. Yelling exuberantly, two grabbed his arms while a third prepared to hit him in the face. Iolaus rolled up and over, using the arms of those who held him for support, kicking out the guy in front of him, then landing behind the other two he cracked their heads together�three more down.

In the excitement, the kids were forgetting to pull their own blows. Too many of their comrades were lying defeated on the floor of the hall, and some were getting seriously angry. No way was this little jerk going to get away with the damage he was doing. Twisting away from someone he'd glimpsed with a sword behind him, Iolaus kicked out disarming the youth, the sword flying high. Using a scissor kick, Iolaus knocked the kid back and out, then pulled the sword from the air as it came back to earth, dropping to one knee, the sword back and up to stop a slash coming at him from behind. Though he'd recognized the change of mood in the hall, and knew they were now fighting him in earnest, he was still determined not to do more than give them a few minutes of unexpected nap time.

Twisting up and around, not wanting in any way to seriously hurt the kid, he exchanged a few slash and parry maneuvers, then deftly twisted his wrist, disarming the cadet and laying the sword point briefly at the youth's throat. "You're dead," Iolaus grinned, then spun away, using the sword to deflect a spear that had been thrown at him. Pushing a hand through his curls, to get them out of his eyes, he shook his head briefly, thinking that this could get deadly if he wasn't careful.

Tossing the sword away as being just too dangerous, he turned to face four cadets who were rushing toward him. Kicking the closest one in the gut, doubling the youth over gasping in unexpected pain, he used the kid's bowed back as a platform to launch himself one handedly into a sideways flying kick that took out two more, dropping in front of the fourth, startling him. "Hi!" Iolaus said brightly, then slammed his fist under the kid's jaw, turning his lights out.

Dropping and twisting defensively, not really sure at that moment where the rest were, he spun around, getting his bearings. Rolling away from a kick aimed at his head, he knocked the feet out from under his assailant and rolled smoothly to his feet, taking one step to the side to catch yet another spear that had been launched at him. Flipping it, he threw it back to land buried in the floor between the feet of the guy who had just thrown it. The youth paled, thinking it had been too close, then laughed nervously, realizing he'd just been 'killed' symbolically. This little guy was amazing.

A couple he'd only knocked down were back on their feet. Taking two quick steps, then cartwheeling toward one, Iolaus landed on his hands at the kid's feet, then linked his ankles around the youth's neck, to pull himself up along the kid's body. He slammed his fist into the cadet's jaw, dropping as the kid keeled over, to roll backwards back up onto his feet, spinning up into a high double kick to take out the last one who was still standing.

Iolaus paused a moment, knees bent, hands out and ready, as he took a quick look around the hall. Then, he relaxed and straightened, pulling at his vest. Except for the two symbolic kills, who had with honour, and considering themselves lucky, removed themselves from the action, the others were sprawled on the floor. There were a few muffled moans as cadets stirred and pulled themselves to sitting positions, holding heads, jaws, or rubbing aching chests and other bruises.

Hercules and Jason laughed as they clapped enthusiastically from the sidelines. Iolaus just chuckled a little as he rubbed the back of his neck, then leaned down to help the nearest cadet back up to his feet. "You okay?" Iolaus asked solicitously, grinning and slapping the kid on the shoulder when the cadet nodded a little numbly.

He hadn't hit any of them all that hard, taking care to pull his kicks and punches, not wanting to hurt more than their pride, so it wasn't long before they were all standing again, some a little more groggily than others.

"How did you do that?" one mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.

Iolaus laughed lightly. "Simple," he replied. "I was committed to winning so I invented the future. That meant I was watching for openings when your guard was down, or where too many of you were bunched together for easy, unrestrained movement. I knew I was going to win�you figured I'd lose, but you didn't plan on how you would win. You were living in the status quo, twenty young, armed guys against one unarmed old guy, no worries, too simple, right? Wrong. Hercules said that leadership and commitment isn't about standing in the present, in the current reality, but about standing in the future, in the possibility, as if it is already actualized. So, I created the future I wanted. Just like Hercules told you you could do, too."

"I don't understand," another said, frowning.

"Okay," Iolaus allowed, explaining more fully. "While you were standing there looking at me, and then when you were coming at me, I was already standing in the future, knowing I'd won. Thinking back over the fight, I 'remembered' what I'd done�knocking some flying, confusing you by changing direction along the beam and using the wires. Not using a weapon which gave you a false sense of security while it gave me more freedom of movement except when I chose a sword or staff for a specific action or two. I kept moving, so you wouldn't know what to expect or where I was going to be next, keeping you off balance. I knew what I was going to do, and watched for openings to do it�you didn't, not really. You just charged without thinking, reacted, without imagining the possibilities."

"You've really faced down gods?" another asked.

"Uh huh," Iolaus nodded.

"Which ones?" the youth persisted.

"Well, I have the most luck with Ares," Iolaus replied, laughing. "He's not a bad guy, really. And, if you just keep coming at him, he gets bored and goes away. Strife and Daemos are just plain stupid, easy to confuse and defeat. Discord is mean and nasty, but she isn't very bright either. Hera, now, she's a little more difficult. Mostly, you just survive Hera or Callisto. They are hard to actually beat. The rest are pretty good folks for the most part. Hades is a bit sardonic, but okay when you get to know him. Persephone, Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena�well, they're all beautiful and don't really want to hurt anybody. Hephaestus is just interested in inventing things." Iolaus shrugged. There wasn't much more to say about the gods.

Cadets stared at him, open-mouthed. This guy really had faced the gods, had fought with some of them and won. "How did you go back into the past?" one lad called out.

"I needed help for that. Ares was able to send me back and so long as I followed Callisto's trail, or just tried to come back to our own time, I could move around in the past. I couldn't have done that without a god's help, though. Maybe it's possible for mortals to time travel on their own, but I sure don't know how to do it," Iolaus said self-deprecatingly.

"And, you really came back from the dead?" someone asked, the tone of awe clear in his voice.

"More than once, actually," Iolaus chuckled. "But, usually Hercules has to make some kind of deal to bring me back, and Hades or Zeus or someone has to agree in the first place. But, the time Herc was talking about in the classroom, I wasn't in the Elysium Fields�I was in a different place, in the 'Light'. It's hard to explain, but it's a fantastic place�really mindblowingly wonderful. You can't imagine it, no one can. You have to experience it. Unfortunately, you have to die to find out what it's like. Anyway, I discovered if I concentrated hard enough, I could get Hercules to hear me. Once I had his attention, I just needed to hold out a hand for him to pull me back into this plane of existence. But, I couldn't have stayed, not for long, not if Michael, an archangel, hadn't let me stay as a kind of penance for betraying the Light." Iolaus looked around and saw that they were overwhelmed, not understanding. Shrugging, he smiled softly. "Don't think about it too hard or it'll give you a headache. It happened. Sometimes the 'how' of it is beyond our full understanding. Just know that it's possible� anything is possible."

There was a silence as Jason and Hercules moved to stand on either side of Iolaus. The demigod laid a hand on his friend's shoulder, gazing at him with a kind of wondering pride. One last cadet called out a final question. "You really are a mortal�you're not kidding us? You're not some kind of warrior god?"

Iolaus laughed outright. "Oh, I'm a mortal all right. Perfectly ordinary. Someone who likes to eat too much and drink too much and have a good time. I'm lazy by nature, and have a hard time being too serious. Life's short and I believe you have to enjoy it the best way you can�and, if you're lucky, you get to make a difference, get to help other people. If you're really, really lucky, you get to have great friends, who believe in you, who see something great in you and who encourage to you to be better than you ever thought you could be." Looking first at Jason and then at Hercules, he concluded, his voice quiet and serious, "When it comes to friends, I'm one of the luckiest guys who ever lived."

The cadets were nodding quietly at his words, studying the three men standing before them. An ordinary mortal, friend of the former King of Corinth and the demigod, Hercules. Slayer of monsters, defender of the weak, warrior, hero. If he could do all that, maybe then they really could, too. Wow.

Iolaus rubbed his stomach as he grinned up at Jason. "Well, that worked up an appetite. Is the food here any better than it used to be or should I go hunting?"

Everyone laughed at that as they turned to leave the hall to head over to the mess. Hercules looped his arm around Iolaus' shoulders as they ambled along beside Jason.

"I want to thank the both of you," Jason said with a smile. "I and the rest of the staff here could teach them a lot, but I needed the two of you to teach them, to show them, that there are possibilities they have not even begun to imagine�and that the future is there, waiting for them to make it happen."

"Anytime, Jason, glad to help," Hercules replied, conveniently forgetting how much he really hadn't wanted to do this.

Iolaus snickered irreverently. "Easy for you to say�you just had to tell them. Me, I got to take on twenty guys half my age just to prove it's possible. Great friends the two of you are, setting me up that way."

Hercules laughed as he slapped Iolaus on the back, and Jason reached to ruffle the younger man's hair, making Iolaus dodge away in mock annoyance.

"Yeah, but you're such a great example, Iolaus," Jason said sagely. "If you can be great, well, then, they really do know that anything's possible."

Hercules burst out laughing, as Iolaus protested, "Oh nice, Jason, real nice. Remind me that I hate you, okay?"

"Anytime, Iolaus," Jason laughed.

The cadets looked back, marveling at the easy comradeship and laughter, thinking they'd never forget this day, these lessons. And, they began to wonder about the future�and to think about the possibilities of what kind of future they could make come true.

Finis

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