A Scripta

Grim brought the sacrifices into the magic room. The female baaed as he tied her to the edge of the circle. He started setting up the altar, presenting poplar branches, fragrant cypress, and mint. He lit the censer and stood back, waiting for the incense to fill the air.

He turned around to go shut the door, and a blond-haired bearded man stood in the doorway. He was dressed in a simple robe, and he wore winged sandals.

“Nobody in their right mind summons Hades.”

“Whoever said I was in my right mind.”

The man smiled and leaned on the door frame. “What do you need him for?”

“I want to ask permission to take a soul.”

“For your own purposes?”

“I want to torture it.”

The man stood straight. “You are not sent here to judge, you are only here to take the souls and send them to Hades. The three Judges will decide his fate.”

“What if they’re wrong? What if Kell sweet-talks them, Hermes?”

Hermes cocked an eyebrow. “How stupid do you think they are? You really don’t know what happens when a person dies, do you?”

“I assume they just hang around in Hades.”

Hermes laughed. “Not Tartaros. Have you ever been there? You don’t ‘hang around’ in Tartaros. The wicked ones suffer eternal punishment, and Minos is very creative.”

“So he’ll never come back?”

“Has Sisyphus? Has Hitler?”

“Hitler’s in Tartarus?”

“Yes.”

Grim wanted to know more, but Hermes didn’t look like he would go into detail. Grim looked at the sheep, who looked at him with sorrowful eyes. “So Kell will go to Tartarus?”

“If he’s judged that.”

Grim looked up at him, “Well, dammit, I want to present evidence!”

“I’ll get evidence, but you have to do something for me.”

“Christ, I knew it.” He turned from Hermes and went back to the altar to put out the censer.

“Hear me out, Michael.”

Grim stopped. “Fine, what is it?”

Hermes came down and walked over to Grim, and took him by the chin. “Create replicas of items of the gods.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

He smiled at Grim. “All the gods have items that they use. Zeus has his lightning bolt. Hades has a helm of invisibility. Athena has her spear. Artemis her arrows. You get the idea. Imbue them with the power of the gods.”

“Won’t they be a little pissed if I do that?”

“That’s why they’re replicas.” Hermes let Grim go. “It’s magic, masquerading as the power of the gods.”

“Are you sure I won’t get in trouble?”

Hermes gave him a look. “What do you think I am?”

“A trickster.”

He laughed, and turned from Grim. “Just do it, and I’ll come back to collect them in a few months. By then, my part of the bargain will be fulfilled.” He walked through the door, and out into the library.

Grim turned to the sheep. "Did you ever get the feeling that you're being used?"

The sheep baaed. Grim went and untied them, and led them back out of the magic room. Maybe the farmer would buy them back.