In search of information ...

[Gabranth]

Gabranth, after several hours awakens and climbs to his knee. Little he knows of his new home, does he glance around these ... Catacombs. This torn and weary man after a few minutes climbs to his feet in a staggering manner. Using Chaos Blade as a type of walking stick, he begins his journey through these dark surroundings.

While walking there a moments of eerie and unusual peace, while at other moments there are screams of terror, agony and pain that set the Judge on guard. As the Judge continued through these drafty chasms, he soon realized what his new home was. It was none other than that of the Underworld.
As he stands tall, he whispers under his own breathe, "a home befitting of a traitor." A new path becomes clear to the Judge, as he questions his place.

Gabranth with a will to regain his pride, honor and purpose in this world continues forward, sword in hand and hatred in his heart.

[Hades]

The vast, ever-expanding loneliness of the underworld was a soul-crushing experience, even for those who still had theirs to work with. The mere fact that this guy wasn't taking a long swim down the river Styx had to have at least been a curiosity for him, but hey, ya never can tell with some people. Of course, that didn't matter much to the head-honcho and big man in charge. All he cared about was getting a certain musclehead taken care of, and hey, what better way to do it than sick the biggest, nastiest mothers at him? Getting the picture why our dear Judge wasn't a floater, yet?

A voice like that of a snake-oil-slicked salesman would echo around the man, seeming to come from every angle all at once. It was as if the walls were speaking to him, rather than some unknown force. "Payback's a pain, eh judgey-boy?" it said in an almost too amused tone. "You give your all for whatever-land, and what do they do? Hey, you got the short end of the stick, my friend. So, how's about making a deal with the devil, hm?"

Just then, off to Gabranth's left, a burst of fire and smoke would signal the entrance of the Lord of all Death himself. He leaned against the stone wall as if this was the most casual place in the world to just happen across someone. He wasn't even all that business about his business, looking at his fingers as if checking them for dirt or brimstone as he spoke. "Here's the skinny. I got a would-be hero problem going on topside. Big muscle-head kinda guy. He's already stuck his nose right where it isn't wanted and mussed up a real-estate venture I'd been busting my butt on for almost 20 years and now I want him taken out..."

The god looked to the man, smirking in that wicked, crooked way of his, sharp teeth showing through that dark grin. The flames on his head flickered a cool, calm blue as he spoke. "Here's my offer. You go topside and take out wonder-breath, and I cut your eternal sentence to something a little more barable. Whaddya say?"

[Gabranth]

Gabranth standing splits Chaos Blade and Highway Star, takes a few steps back and raises Chaos Blade to the Gods evil grin and in a low, metalic, antagonising voice from behind his helmet says "I presume you the God of this domain? The Judge stiffens. "Understand me now God, even a stray dog has pride, and I have paid my debt." Lowering Chaos, still in a defensive stance, Gabranth thinks for a moment. He is reminded of the time spent traversing these catacombs...

Gabranth still on guard and distrusting of this "God" relaxes his arms ever so slightly, bows his head asks "This man your quarrel is with, who is he?" For in the back of his mind this may be the chance he needs to escape this forsaken Hell and continue his new found path.

[Hades]

Hades wasn't afraid of this guy. Seriously, why would he need to be? He was so far beyond this dredge's ability to harm that it was almost laughable that the judge held up his weapon like he could actually DO something. Hades would merely chuckle at this, and when Gabranth began to relax, he floated over like they were old buddies, he and the judge. He even put a massive arm around the man's armored shoulders and started walking with him.

"Listen, babe, walk with me, talk with me. Even a stray dog, pride or not, has gotta like runnin' free more than being stuck in the dirt, right? Debt or no debt, you're here now and hey, I'm the man to talk to about getting a free ticket outta here. And hey, get a loadda this..." he held his other hand in front of them, materializing a strange golden disk no larger than a common cup saucer in front of them, made of some kind of marble despite its color and emblazoned with a stylized skull to match the broach holding his toga together.

"Know what this is, hotshot? This'll turn you into a flesh-and-blood being, no lie. You'll get your second shot at life, more than a lot of people can lay claim to, and all ya gotta do is deal with my problem for me..." He smirked, poofing the thing away before patting Gabranth's shoulder and walking around in front of him. They were in another part of the caverns now, next to the flowing river near where Charon ferried souls across to the fields of Elysium (or happy-go-lucky-land as Hades sometimes called it).

Hades held his hand up, showing Gabranth a miniturized version of the hero he so despised. "Your target's a big muscle-headed jerk calling himself Hercules. Won't be hard to find, he's the big cheese of the ring topside in the Colosseum. People LOVE him up there, but let me tell you something right now!" he crushed the mini-herc in his hand. "HE'S A BIG SHOWOFFY JERK WHO'S REALLY BEEN A PAIN IN MY TOGA!!!" he roared, red flames licking over his form before he forced himself back to calm blue...

"Anyway..." Hades said, clearing his throat. "He shouldn't be a problem for a guy like you, yeah? Just go up, do what you gotta do to put him DOWN for good, and bam! You're fun and fancy free! What do you say, big fella?"

Hades held his hand out to the man, smirking wickedly as those long fingers stretched invitingly to the Judge. "We got ourselves a deal?"

[Gabranth]

Gabranth listened as Hades perposed a proposition. To be flesh and blood again, would mean he could persue what he found before his untimely demise, and rid himself of these demons that haunt him. Standing at attention, connecting his dual blades once again, a immense sensation of incredible pressure starts to fill the air amoung the God and Judge. His dual sword begins to emanate a faint yet fierce aura, simlar to that of orange flames.

Gabranth begins to glance slowly up at the God standing before him. Again in his low, metalic voice says "Freedom." in a sarcastic tone ... "My body, flesh and blood is to be restored first. I will then find this "Hercules" and by my blade shall be his end."

At this moment Gabranth takes a lowley step foward, blade in his right hand, bares his left side arm extended with palm up. Still hesitant and distrusting of Hades, says "The gold coin if you will ... God, and let me take me leave of this this place"

[Hades]

Hades chuckled a bit at this. This guy was stiffer than... well... all the stiffs around him! Waving his hand to create the small medallion in his fingers, Hades held it aloft as he spoke. "Not one to wait around, are ya, Judge-miester? Anyway, we have a deal, but keep this in mind, helmet-head..." Hades then dropped the palm-sized golden disk into the metal-covered hand of the Judge Magistrate. "If you fail to bring down blue-eyes, the deal's off. That should be incentive enough to do your job well, hm?"

Hades then turned and waved a hand, indicating the massive doors that lead from Tartarus out into the wide world of the living. "Hey, there's the door. Don't let it hit ya on the way out, pooky." The God gently shoved Gabranth forward towards the ferry, where Charon waited patiently to carry souls to and from over the river Styx. "Boat don't wait for anyone, so get a move on!" Hades called behind him, then gave a very out-of-character for this dark world Thumbs-Up. "Hey, I'm rootin' for ya kid!" and with that, he disappeared in a poof of smoke and fire.

The dark ferryman leaned on his rowing staff, looking to Gabranth before extending a hand silently. There was always a toll to be paid, as Gabranth had to have known all to well. Two copper coins to the ferryman to escape this hell.

[Gabranth]

Gabranth not amused by the lack of respect or snide remakes this so called God would make. He is a Judge Magister, he deserves respect ... even if he was a traitor to his nation. After all, what "God" needs a hound to do his dirty work? This Gabranth questioned as he stepped on to Charon. Something about all of this seemed a bit off as Charon started to row.

Gabranth quickly turn, looking back at the abysmal shore he left behind. He then held his dual sword and pointed down river yelling in his antagonising voice "God! I am Gabranth, Judge Magister! Do NOT underestimate my power!"

As he lowered his blade, he was relieved to finally be ridding himself of this place. He had obtained his goal, an exit and life. Though as Gabranth stood, eyes unwaivering at the door that had been shown, a thought whisped through his mind. He would whisper to himself from beneath his helm, "Hercules ... if this so called God can not dispose of this man himself, (as he whispers in a more upbeat tone) then it seems he's not much of a God at all."

As Charon came ashore, Gabranth again whisper to himself. "A new life awaits." Stepping from Charon, he turns to look at what seems to be a massive, undead ship made of corpses and rotting wood. In a more anxious, and what seemed to be almost happy tone, "I thank you Charon, this is where we part! Do not expect me back anytime soon." Gabranth turned to the long stairwell in front of him.

Just as soon as the Judge started his climb, wouldn't you know to his surprise ... a black cloaked figure running down these stairs...