The War Without Fate

Chapter 20- Lust

We seemed to walk through darkness for a long time. Our foot steps echoeing with a strange magnification. Even mine seemed to sound like normal foot falls rather than the metal clunking that usually eminated when I walked in my suit. 

Ahead I saw a light. I squinted my eyes and Jarvis frantically attempted to identify it. My companions came into sight and I saw Holly and Claude pull their coats up more snug around them. As we continued forward the light expanded faster and finally we found ourselves in a large storm like area. I saw souls being thrown around by restless winds that didnt affect me while I was in my suit, but for the others it seemed really hard not to be picked up by the winds them selves. 

I glanced over at Jacqueline who was tipping off or her feet desparingly, I reached out and grabbed her shoulder to keep her stable. She clasped my shoulder and the others got the same idea. Castor and Max grabbed onto my arm and as we moved through the wind toward some unknown place I got the distinct impression that we were headed toward the eye of the storm.

The winds got more intense and even I began to feel the intense pull. Soon enough we made it to the eye of the storm where it was surprisingly calm. The winds wirled around us and from this point of view they seemed to be made of peoples terrified faces. One shouted out for help before it was dragged off by the winds. I shuttered and Castor shared a look with me. His eyes were wide and fearful and his face was twisted in pain as if he felt what they felt. 

I looked up toward Holly and my eyes landed on a thrown with Evangeline lounging lazily in it. I took a step forward throwing my hand out suddenly. Max's hold was ripped away from her and she was pulled toward the storm, holding onto the long grass beneath our feet. Jacqueline yelled out my name and threw her hand back toward Max who was grasping helplessly at the grass. I looked back casually and saw that Jacqueline was able to throw her foot out to Max who was able to grab hold and pulled her self up and back onto the ground. I pushed them forward into the eye of the storm where the winds werent pulling and Max layed back on the grass with exhaustion. 

I turned my attention back to Evangeline smiling warmly at me from the thrown. I flipped my mask back and walked toward her. Joy building in my chest as she opened her arms welcoming me. Suddenly Holly flung himself in front of me shaking his head quickly. I looked down at him angriliy.

"What?" I asked angrily

"Its not her," He pleaded "Dont go any closer!"

"What the hell do you mean its not her?" I cried, panning my hand out to motion to her "Course its her. Look right there."

"I know," He shook his head "I see her too. Its a siren. She looks like who you want her to look like. Ask them who they see."

I turned my head back toward Castor and the rest of them.

"Deana," Castor answered sadly, tears brimming in his eyes

I refused to take that as evidence when I glanced at Jacqueline tilting her head from side to side with her brow furrowed. 

"Clint," She answered as resolve crossed her face.

Max who was still laying down finally turned her attention to the so called siren on the thrown. Her face grew confused.

"Loki?"

Claude bit at his cheek and looked at me pointedly.

"A siren see." Claude said coldly. His face was set in an odd expression. He wasnt one to really show much emotion yet this siren seemed to cripple him somehow. 

He noticed my analytical look and turned his back on the siren. He sat down to rest in the grass. I narrowed my eyes and turned desperatley toward the siren sitting on that intricate silver thrown. She smiled down at me and started laughing. Her voice didnt sound like Evangeline's and that convinced me rather than the witnesses testimonys. Her voice was scratchy and hard to listen to. Nothing like Evangeline's. 

Holly studied me for a moment and then stepped back and to the side. He looked up to the siren with a similar pained look that I had seen on Claude's face yet it wasnt so out of place. Holly seemed to take in the sirens appearance for a moment and then sighed.

"We have come to look for someone." He said "And ask a favor of you."

"Oh?" She asked with a dark chuckle "And who is that?"

"We are searching for one Evangeline Scagilla." Holly answered "Has she been sentenced to your circle?"

"No," the siren answered smoothly "Though she passed through here. Fell all over herself like you did."

The siren seemed to fall into a fit of giggles. She hit on the arm rest of her thrown throwing her head back laughing maniacally. When she finally stopped she settled her eyes on Holly still grinning. She tilted her head in curiousity.

"And the favor?" She asked "What is that entail?"

She ran her tongue over her top lip seductively at Holly. It was kinda funny to see her trying to be sexy. For a siren and the demon guarding the circle of hell meant for the lustful she wasnt very good at being sexy. I found it hard not to laugh and with a glance at Holly I saw he was having the same trouble. 

"on the surface," He began "We are having some issues with a couple forces and were wondering if you would like to take a little vacation and take you, and the souls you watch up to purgatory to fight besides us."

She seemed to consider it for a moment and her eyes rested on me.She seemed to study me for a moment. Very similar to something Evangeline was accustom to herself. A sad smile inched itself up onto my lips. She blinked and looked back over to Holly with a short nod. 

"We will meet you there," She grinned at him 

She snapped her fingers and the storm died down completely displaying large field similar to the one in limbo except the grass was a dark ugly brown color.  Bodies began to fall to the ground and started moving. The souls seemed to pick themselves up and they sighed with sudden relief. A few even started cheering. 

She pointed casually toward a door that appeared to lead into a barn, yet when she pointed at it and it flung open. It exposed the same fathomless darkness that had brought us to this circle from Limbo. We walked into it and I noticed Holly give one last parting glance at the siren before the darkness consumed us.