The War Without Fate

Chapter 22- Greed and Anger

Oh hey everyone! So I totally just realized that if I gave a chapter to each bolgia, or round or circle of hell I would end up having somewhere around 20 more chapters which would make this book like 45 chapters long which is ridiculious and would take too damn long lol. So I will start combining them to move through them a little faster. After all as I moved through each circle recently my chapters have been really short and lets be honest that means theres room for another. So enjoy these next to circles of hell from the Divine Comedy itself. 

We awoke in the next circle of hell as Ciacco had predicted and found this level was a little more gruesome than the previous ones. People rushed around at each other, hitting each other with the large bags of money they carried around on their backs. I found that lots of them were dressed as popes, clergymen and cardinals. 

I looked to Holly who raised his hand and waved someone over the mass of people. My eyes followed where his had landed and I found myself looking at Pluto himself. He had long dark hair that was in large coils and hung over his bare shoulders. His bottom half was darned in an intricate skirt like thing that was belted with a heavy looking black rope. He had a surprisingly kind face and nice eyes. He looked something like the modern depiction of Jesus had and I felt sickened at that thought. 

Pluto put up his hand in the stop position and the faceless souls that had been fighting endlessly ceased to fight and parted to create a path for us to walk down to reach him in his thrown that had his name over his head. As we stood in front of his large chair he descended the steps to greet us. 

"Holly," He smiled genially and I found myself having a hard time believeing that he was the mischief maker the ancient greeks and romans had named him as. He turned and examined each of us in turn. "I presume the iron man, Tony Stark. The fate, Claude, nice to see you again. Max the daughter of some very intersting forces and last yet not least Ms. Jacqueline Adams. From the information I gather your past has been extremely colorful and interesting in itself. Wonderful to meet you miss. Castor, old friend."

"No more interesting than the others," She blinked 

He smiled apologetically and turned back to Holly. He opened his arms in a broad fashion.

"What can I do you for old friend?" He asked sweetly 

"We are looking for one Evangeline Scagilla. Might have passed through here I believe, just some time earlier." Holly explained 

"Indeed she did. It was nice to see her again as well. She passed through without much fan fare I am afraid. I heard that she was not destined for the 5th or 6th levels and if I had known the shortcuts past those I would gladly lead you along them but alas I do not."

"Thats quite alright. We have one other request of you though," Claude answered peering at Pluto carefully as if he were a bomb about to go off. 

"And what is that?" Pluto asked sharply his demeanor faltering somewhat.

"A favor is all," Smiled Holly re-assuringly

Pluto squinted and examined them carefully seemingly searching for any of the doubts upon their faces. He motioned with his hand for them to go on. Holly stepped forward carefully as if he were trying to avoid a land mine.

"There is a war about to begin above ground and we were recruiting from hell for our soldiers. We were wondering if you would be interested in taking a trip to the surface and perhaps helping us achieve our goals." Holly said slowly and carefully

I looked to Pluto whose features were very blank for awhile until a loud crack went off and his hair turned into coils of fire and his eyes left their sockets to be replaced by flames.