Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) is caught in a terrible storm at sea while transporting the ruthless mercenary Derk (Jeremy Roberts) to Sparta to stand trial for the murder of Lycus. As the fierce storm rages on, the mast of the prison boat splits and comes crashing down through the upper deck, knocking Hercules -- who has chained himself to his prisoner -- unconscious. Some time later, Hercules wakes up on the shore of a desolate island with a badly fractured arm pierced by a huge splinter from the mast. The chain binding him to his prisoner now broken, Hercules looks up seconds before Derk knocks him unconscious again with a vicious blow to the head. When he comes to, Hercules disregards the mercenary's warnings not to follow him and slowly pursues the killer, though at a distance. As the two men work their way across an expanse of scrub brush trees setting booby traps for each other, a band of pirates arrives on the island to hunt for the shipment of gold they believe was aboard the shipwrecked prison boat. Led by the barbaric Sordis (Neill Duncan) and his second-in-command, Trayus (Philip Jones), the pirates begin tracking the footprints they find in the sand, hoping they will lead to the treasure.
Meanwhile, Derk springs a trap for the wounded son of Zeus and Hercules finds himself gasping in pain as he is pushed into a dried-up, twelve-foot-deep well and ordered to dig for water. He soon gets the drop on Derk, however, and their positions are reversed after Hercules finds a root in the sand and uses it to climb out of the hole. Derk is now forced down into the pit and continues to dig, but finds only salt water. As the two men set out for the other side of the island in search of something to drink, the pirates, who have discovered a poisoned water hole, also take off in search of fresh water.
Hercules and Derk soon discover the half-eaten body of a pirate and shudder as they consider the size of the monster they have yet to meet, unaware that the pirates, too, are closing in on them. As their weakness grows, Derk viciously attacks Hercules with a sliver of clam shell. During the fight that ensues, a huge and hideous worm-like creature reaches up out of the sand to grab Derk's leg. Hercules helps Derk escape and the two men find temporary refuge in an outcropping of rocks. As more of the giant underground creatures close in on them, they reach an uneasy truce. Hercules agrees to allow Derk to see his family one last time before being brought to trial if Derk stops trying to escape. The bargain is sealed when Derk agrees to reset Hercules' broken arm, which has become badly infected.
In the meantime, the pirates' movements have diverted the attention of the giant worm-monsters, who move off to attack them. When Hercules and Derk hear their shouts and screams a short while later, they head off to try to save the men from being pulled beneath the surface of the sand. Though they fight valiantly, they are unable to rescue anyone. Finally, however, they concoct a desperate and ingenious plan to battle the worm-monsters and manage to escape back to the pirates' boat, which they sail homeward. By this time, Hercules has grown to appreciate Derk as a man of pride and honor despite their philosophical differences, and honors his promise to take Derk home to visit his wife and children. They then head off for Sparta. But when they arrive and it becomes clear that Derk will be condemned to death without a fair trial, Hercules helps his prisoner escape on the condition that Derk promises to leave his life as a mercenary behind.
Starring: Kevin Sorbo (Hercules), Michael Hurst (Iolaus)
Guest Starring: Jeremy Roberts (Derk), Neill Duncan (Sordis), Phil Jones (Trayus), Sarah Smuts-Kennedy (Kara), Owain Pennington (Older Boy), Charlotte Pennington (Sister), Paul Willis (Marcus), David Fitchew (Court Officer)
Written by Robert Bielak
Directed by Michael Hurst