With the rumbling of thunder, Beethoven finally put down his pencil.
At last, he thought. At last it is done. My most beautiful work of art is complete. It will overshadow even my 9th! He put the whole fifty pages in order, smiling to himself, but still a little troubled. He finally looked up, and realized there was a tall, pale, and beautiful woman, with a short boy, with an evil smile on his face at her side in his room.
“Ludwig von Beethoven. It is time for you to die. You have lived a full life, giving humanity beautiful music. Now, you must leave this world, and never know how it will affect the future.” Said the woman. As she spoke, she spoke with a slivery shiver of a voice.
“But you don’t understand, my music, it is not yet published! I can’t leave yet!” pleaded Beethoven. As he walked over to woman and boy, he saw opaque spirits, babbling in the background, causing a cacophony so great; Beethoven had to cover his ears, even with his hearing abandoning him.
“I am not the one you must beg and plead with. You must talk to Mephistopheles . He is the one that is going to being picking you up at midnight tonight.”
At that moment, the clock tolled midnight. With a flash of lightning, there was a short man standing on the balcony. He walked in, brushing the rain off his cloak, and raised his head. His face looked sunburned, and at the corners of his forehead, there were horns, curling almost like a rams.
“Ludwig von Beethoven! Your time has come to die! Come with me quietly, and you may be able to get to Heaven!” shouted the man, in a pinched, but deep voice.
“Please, you must not let me go yet! My Tenth Symphony, it is not yet finished,” begged Beethoven, knowing full well he would not change a note. “Please, give me just enough time to finish editing, and you can have my soul.”
“Well now, this is certainly a twist. I have much admired your work, but I need to get going, seeing as I have to grab some couple out of the Rhine, and several thieves out of Munich.” Stated Mephistopheles, obviously undecided and really trying to figure out what to do.
“However, seeing as your work does seem to need some work, I will give until it is complete.” Mephistopheles told him, docilely. Beethoven looked down at the work, and shuddered at the thought of destroying his greatest work.
“That’s what I thought. You can’t bear to toy with your music, even if it means your death. How about this then. I will give you one hour to think. And while I am gone, think about your music. Would you be willing to live, but have me wipe the memory of it from the minds of men?” he asked, and as soon as the last word was out of his mouth, he was gone with another flash of light.
The woman walked over the Beethoven, and told him, “You are a brave man to stand up to that bully. He takes lives like a child takes candy.” She was speaking in a soft tone which caused Beethoven to have to lean in close to hear what she was saying.
“Why do you have these spirits around you? I see the people I once knew, but I can’t understand them.”
“These are the people who have inspired you to make all of your music. Whether you know it or not, they have all played a part in your life, and if you want, I could grant you a favor, seeing as you have and will always benefit humanity with your music.” Replied the woman.
“No, mother Fate! Remember what happened last time? The man decided to go to Asia, and brought back the Black Death, as opposed to being a simple business man! Do you want something like that to happen again?” implored the boy at Fates side.
