Dreaming Out Loud

Monster

Chapter 124: Monster

Pain and Panic dragged a flailing and struggling Hermes into the Throne room that formerly belonged to Hades and dropped him at their new master's feet. The five rivers converged in the Throne room and each of them carried a judgement from the man on this Throne. And this new ruler, now sitting upon the Throne of Pluto, glared down on him.

"Well, well...someone finally squished you like the worm you are," Prometheus said, as he gazed down at the quivering former messenger God. He waved his hand over the globe which always showed him the highs and lows of a soul's life, including how they died. It was necessary to evaluate a soul's life to determine the appropriate judgement. He clicked his tongue.

"You have led a sordid life, indeed. You changed sides more times than most can count," he said, as he watched. He had seen most of Hermes' transgressions, especially since he had helped Zeus bind him at one time, until he had been rescued and released by Hercules.

"But these recent deeds are news to me," he said, as he continued to watch.

"Cute...you really did play both sides right up till the end," he commented, as he watched Hades turn him into a literal worm and King Eli step on him. He smirked. As the new King of the Underworld, he rarely betrayed any emotion when determining a judgement. But there were exceptions and this was one of them.

"I do appreciate such a poetic end," he said, as he glared down at the cowering being.

"I'll hear your pleas now," he added.

"I have unfinished business. I beg of you to allow me time to atone," Hermes stammered.

"No...you're begging me to send you above to Underbrooke so you can save your soul from one of the rivers. But I know you...even up there you will scheme and attempt to undermine me. You used to do it to Hades all the time in life, but you will not do it to me in death," he declared.

"Please..." Hermes pleaded.

"Normally, I'd toss you into Acheron and be done with you, but I don't think the river of pain is enough punishment for you," Prometheus said.

"I don't do this often...so consider yourself in a very elite club. I sentence you to the river of fire. You will spend eternity in Phelgethon," he decided. Hermes started to scream and beg, as Pain and Panic dragged his soul toward the burning river and his wailing echoed through the entire chamber, before slowly fading away as the depths of Tartarus swallowed him.

"Master...there seems to be an influx of souls from Transylvania," Pain spoke, as he and his cohort stood by to deal with the incoming souls.

"Damn that bloodsucker," he grumbled, referring to Dracula.

Centuries ago, after he had been freed, he had traveled the realms, helping mankind where he could, much to Zeus' chagrin. Upon arriving in the Land Without Color, he had found the land in a dire state. Dracula had grown as powerful as a God and created his own coven of bloodsuckers that were terrorizing the land. He managed to decimate nearly half the population before Prometheus, with the assistance of Athena, and several other warriors, drove him and his coven out. They had managed to banish them to a barren land that soon became known as Transylvania, but in a moment of sheer savagery, Dracula and his coven had managed to keep the banishing portal open long enough to suck dozens upon dozens of mortals with them. He had been left with no choice and sealed it off from the other realms, effectively damning those unfortunate mortals. But it had saved the rest of the people from the Land Without Color from sheer extinction and rid them of their vampire problem.

Unfortunately, it wasn't uncommon to get a daily influx of souls from Transylvania and today would be no exception...or so he thought.

"Sire...it appears that the influx of souls are not mortals at all," Panic said. His brow furrowed, as he witnessed not souls, but rather demonic entities screech, as they flooded his Throne room. He was not worried, for it was nothing Pain and Panic couldn't handle. He was used to this too. The bloodsucking minions that were part of King of Vampire's coven didn't have souls, but they became demons upon their death, likely at Van Helsing's hands. But today was somehow different. Today, there were far more demonic entities than usual. Van Helsing was very skilled at what he did, but this was far too many at one time, even for him.