When Ares (Kevin Smith), the God of War, provides brash and ambitious young Agathon (Jonathon) and his troops with weapons made of the impenetrable metal of Hephaestus, Agathon and his men defeat an entire Athenian army. Agathon is elated by his success and and promises Ares undying loyalty. As the two conspire to conquer the world, Walsim (Jon Brazier), a notorious criminal, is being led to the chopping block in a nearby village. Just as the ax is about to fall, Xena (Lucy Lawless) spirits him away and offers him a proposition -- he can either join her to go up against Ares or be returned to town to face the axman. Walsim joins Xena.
Meanwhile, in a prison dungeon, a criminal named Darnelle (Charles Mesure) is led into a cell filled with the dregs of humanity to await his execution. As he's being taunted by a fellow prisoner named Monlik (Stephen Ure), Xena comes up through the tiles of the cell floor and orders Darnelle and Monlik back down into the hole. She then calls out to Glaphyra (Katrina Hobbs) and a figure covered with a blanket steps forward. The blanket is pulled back to reveal a beautiful blonde woman with eyes of venom. Xena and the three prisoners escape into the tunnel beneath the cell. Once away from the prison, Xena introduces everyone and explains that they must help her defeat Ares. They think she's insane but reluctantly agree.
When the group enters the battlefield where Agathon and his troops left thousands of Athenian infantrymen slaughtered, they notice that the swords and shields of the Athenians have been mysteriously sliced in half. Upon hearing screams in the woods, they run to investigate and are attacked by six of Agathon's warriors wearing distinctive black armor. When Xena and her companions try to use their weapons against their assailants, they simply bounce off the armor of their enemies. Even Xena's sword is split lengthwise by one of their swords. She soon explains to her baffled partners that the weapons and armor of Agathon's troops are made from the legendary metal of Hephaestus. Ares stole the secret to the metal and gave it to the the warlord Agathon. Now, Xena needs help in getting it back.
Inside Agathon's castle, Ares and Agathon take a tour of the armory where blacksmiths are busy making weapons and armor out of the powerful metal. Ares warns Agathon that Xena is on her way to try and steal the secret back. Agathon welcomes the challenge Xena poses and promises Ares he will kill her. Back at camp, Xena delegates duties, sending Glaphyra and Darnelle out for supplies and Monlik and Walsim to check out Agathon's castle and draw a complete map of the interior. Xena, herself, plans a diversion whereby she will mobilize King Gregor's army, making Agathon think he is going to be attacked. When she and her companions meet back at camp that evening, Monlik begins to question what he's going to get out of the deal and refuses to turn over the map of the castle.
In a sudden and unexpected attack, he hurls his ax at Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) but Xena jumps in to save her and Monlik is killed instead. The others grudgingly agree to proceed with their plan. Later that night, Ares appears to Xena. He tells her that Agathon knows her plans and that he intends to kill her. Xena is not phased and she and her group begin attacking the castle with firebombs and flaming arrows. Once Xena is inside the castle, heading toward the armory, she gets trapped by Agathon in a crawlspace. She soon discovers that Walsim and Darnelle have deserted her in exchange for cash from Agathon. Later, when Xena, Gabrielle, and Glaphyra are imprisoned, Darnelle comes to set the women free. It turns out that Darnelle's capture was all part of Xena's plan.
Xena finally makes her way to the armory where Walsim and another warrior charge her. But Xena manages to unlock the cabinets containing the formidable weapons with her chakram. She and the others quickly throw them into the fire, plugging the furnace pit with a boulder which causes the pressure to build. In a spectacular final confrontation, Xena and Agathon face each other. He throws his boomerang at the same time that she throws her chakram. As the weapons meet in mid-flight, the chakram slices the boomer in two and the severed ends fly back and strike Agathon in the face, leaving him severely wounded. Xena and her gang flee from the castle just in time to escape the furnace explosion, which destroys the castle and all the weapons inside.
Guest Starring: Kevin Smith (Ares), Charles Mesure (Darnelle), Katrina Hobbs (Glaphyra), Jon Brazier (Walsim), Jonathon Roberts (Agathon), Stephen Ure (Monlik), Peter Ford (Villager #1), Roy Snow (Athenian Captain), Adam Schlooz (Guard #1), Amron McCormack (Warrior #1), Campbelle Rousselle (Warrior #2)
Starring: Lucy Lawless as Xena, Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
Written by Steven L. Sears
Directed by Rick Jacobson