A Scripta

Harmonia walked across the bridge that was over the dark moat full of skeletons and brackish black water. The castle was made of sheer granite, cold and uninviting. The portcullis was sharpened and she could see bits of flesh hanging off the points. Harmonia held down a shudder as she walked into the courtyard, which was miles long and surrounded by the walls of granite. In the courtyard stood all instruments of war, from simple swords to tanks in the distance. This was not the land of the dead, but it very well could be, with the moaning wind passing through, singing of the horrors of war.

She found her father in the simple garb of an Africaans infantry field soldier, complete with a Vektor R4 strung across his back. His red hair peeked out from under the black beret. He was studying a cannon, taking pieces of it off with his power and looking at what was underneath.

"Greetings, father," Harmonia said, and bowed.

"Greetings to you, dear daughter." He turned to her, his glowing red eyes focusing on her, even while the cannon separated itself. "What brings you here? Not that I don't wish to see you." He smiled at her, which could be considered by most to be not pleasant.

"I wish to speak to you about one of your champions."

"Oh? Enamoured by him, are you? Of course you have my permission to do what you will with him, so long as you don't distract him from his duty to me."

"Actually, no, father. It is Kalius of Thebes, the general from the Sacred Band."

"Oh, yes, the one who searched for his love and found him as undead. I remember him. He is to stop Romulus."

"You gave him a time period to do so. He failed, father."

"I thought his team was supposed to help him. I sent an envoy to make sure of that."

"They all failed, father."

He sighed. "Oh, well." He turned to the cannon again.

"Father, he asks that you give him another chance."

"I've spoken to my uncle once about him. It's up to him."

"Will you at least speak with him again?"

"Hades wants the souls that belong to him." Ares turned to Harmonia. "You don't know him like I know him, dear daughter. If there is something he wants, he gets it."

She raised her head. "Then I will speak with him."

Ares said sadly, "Do not deal with the Lord of the Dead, Harmonia. He hungers for what you have and will take it and more."

"I only wish to speak with him."

"You are like me, determined."

She smiled a little. "Like father, like daughter."

He lovingly reached out and tousled her hair. "Do not stay long in his realm, Harmonia, or you will be lost."

She stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "I won't, father." She flapped her wings, and headed west.

As she flew west, the world grew darker. Most of the underworlds were located here, many different versions and many different cultures. The gates of Hades were built with living skeletons, screaming into the twilight. She passed through them easily and saw Cerberus, who saw her and roared, causing panic among the souls at his huge feet. She knew his chain only went so far, so she skirted as far away from him as she could and then entered the dark realm of the dead.

She could see the Elysian Fields as beautiful light in the darkness. Instead she turned from it and headed further down. As she did, her own light started to fade, and she felt heavier and heavier with despair. She fought it off, even as her own essence turned grey. She kept going further toward the center, where the despair and darkness was thickest. There stood another castle, similar to her father's, but cast in black marble. She flew into the sepulchre, and struggled to find her way through the labyrinth of halls to find her way to the gods.

"I see you, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite," came a booming voice all around her. She stopped, her wings fluttering. A man in full Grecian formal dress stepped out of the shadows, his eyes a glowing sickening green. His tunic swirled with darkness and spirits that clung to him. "Why do you come to my domain?"

"Uncle," she said, and went to her knees and prostrated herself at his sandaled feet. "I come to ask a favor."

"Many ask favors when they wish not to die."

She sat back on her knees. "Uncle, there is a man--"

"Kalius. I know of who you speak. When his time expires, the Reapers will retrieve him for me."

"No!" She grasped at the hem of his tunic.

"I have been denied his first lover. I have been denied his second lover. I will not be denied him."

"Give him more time, please!"

"What will you give me in return?" His voice seemed ominous. "I do nothing out of the goodness of my heart."

"What do you want?"

A dark chuckle escaped. "There is so much that I would want." He reached down and gently took her by the chin, lifting her up. "You look so much like your mother." He smiled, without any warmth behind it. "I want the Mage's service."

"The Mage has been spoken for, Uncle."

"His soul, not his service."

"He is not meant to be of the dark!"

"I see no reason that he cannot be both."

Harmonia gaped at him. "That's...impossible."

"Is it? Look at your champion, the man you are interceding for. He is not pure light, he is red as the blood he sheds for his patron. But he is a good man with a good soul. His soul will return to its proper place." He looked at her. "I am not evil, Harmonia, you know that. Otherwise, you would never have been able to come here. I am not of the Fallen."

"No, uncle, I know, but..."

"The darkness can be used for light. He has done it before. It's been done many times before, by others. It is not uncommon." He turned from Harmonia. "Have him serve me by using his dark powers for good, and I will wait for Kalius' soul."

"Uncle, that can't be done."

He walked away. "Anything can be done that is the will of God."