While visiting a holy mountain, Gabrielle falls down a hole in a cave. Xena follows, only to find herself and Gabrielle in a paradise-like world inhabited only by Aidan the proprietor of the estate, and his crazy caretaker named Gar. Xena is surprised to find that a gash on her leg has healed without a trace. Xena and Gabrielle seek out Aidan, whose home is decorated with faceless statues in meditative poses. Aidan claims that he has found the path to peace. Gabrielle, seeing how beautiful this land is and how it can help her on her spiritual quest, is curious while Xena is immediately skeptical. Though Xena is anxious to leave, they stay for a couple of days while Gabrielle receives guidance from Aidan.
Aidan teaches Gabrielle to focus on her breathing and find peace in stillness. Slowly, painful images of her evil daughter Hope come back to Gabrielle, but Aidan teaches her to quietly accept them and be calm. Gabrielle is the most relaxed she has been since Hope was born. Meanwhile, the place is having the opposite effect on Xena. She is irritable, tired, her nose is bleeding, and she is haunted by wild dreams and terrible images of her hurting Gabrielle. According to Aidan, this idyllic land draws out the essence of people. While Gabrielle feels radiant and light, something darker is coming out of Xena. Horrified by her visions, Xena goes to Aidan. He tells her that her battle with her demons can only end in death, and soon her dreams will begin to bleed into reality. If she loves Gabrielle, she will leave before she hurts her.
Xena is planning to leave when she notices that the military insignia on the coats of the statues matches the insignia Gar wears. Xena learns that Aidan turned Gar's platoon into statues. Gar was the only one who resisted Aidan's preaching of stillness. Aidan feeds on people's goodness, leaving them empty statues. Gar warns Xena not to confront Aidan because he will use whatever good she possesses against her. Xena decides that if Aidan craves goodness, she will just have to embrace the evil inside her. Angry and rabid, Xena finds Gabrielle beginning to turn into a statue and attacks Aidan. They fight brutally, but Xena begins to want to turn her fury on Gabrielle. When Gar tries to protect Gabrielle, Xena prepares to stab him. Gabrielle comes out of her trance to prevent Xena from taking an innocent life. Xena knew that Gabrielle would free herself from Aidan's control in order to stop the killing. Aidan is defeated and dies and Gar looks forward to a life of freedom.
Guest Starring: Jeremy Roberts (Aidan), Mervyn Smith (Gar)
Starring: Lucy Lawless as Xena, Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
Written by Chris Manheim
Directed by Rob Tapert