CHAPTER ONE: JUDGMENT.
Death was not all it was cracked up to be.
"Well... this is an interesting case," said Minos, as a young man was brought before him.
The young man looked like he was in his early twenties, perhaps; he had sandy blonde hair and electric blue eyes. He had a athlete's build: broad shoulders and muscular arms. He would have been exceptionally handsome, if it weren't for the horrid scar on the side of his face. The young man's name was Luke Castellan.
Luke Castellan was standing before the Judgment Pavilion, silently awaiting his fate.
"Well boy? Present your argument, what do you think you have achieved?" asked Alighieri. Luke felt a cold chill up his spine, as though his human senses still managed.
That was a tricky question. What had he achieved in his life? He had done many things, he almost changed the world, but for all the wrong reasons. He couldn't make that argument. How could he? He had listened to all the wrong words, made all the wrong choices and died for it. His eyes widened as he looked at the council deliberating him. Minos, Alighieri and (thank the gods) Disney, and gulped, trying to form a plea in his mind aside from "I died a hero," as a statement.
"I would like to be reborn. I mean, I know I made some pretty bad choices but I did the right thing in the end, didn't I?" he said, his tone confident but there was no denying the fear that quivered.
"He has a point," said Walt Disney kindly, looking over at the other judges.
"He's made more bad choices than right ones," retorted Dante.
"I say a hundred years in the Fields of Punishment, for his remorse, then give the kid what he wants," said Minos.
"This is a difficult case," said Dante, contemplating and analyzing Luke as he stared at the three of them.
Luke tried to keep calm, make his face unreadable and blank, but it was difficult. Looking and listening to the three judges, deciding on what to do with his fate, rebirth or Fields of Punishment. He wanted to defend himself but decided against it. You do not want to show any sort of arrogance or disrespect to three people who could send you into eternal punishment.
"We shall discuss this in private, Luke Castellan. Wait here." The three judges then disappeared. A little melodramatic and overly theatrical if they asked Luke, but he couldn't complain.
Somehow his human senses were still capable. He could still feel his heart pound in his chest, his legs practically shaking in anticipation, or perhaps that was just his imagination. He remembered all of the terrible things he did. All of the lives lost, the young heroes who had reached the Underword before him, the damage he had done at Camp Half Blood... all because of him. Suddenly, it didn't seem to matter to him that he did the right thing in the end, he agreed with Minos. He need not have been before the three of them if he didn't make all the bad decisions he had made. It was difficult to stand still. He wanted to pace the floor, he wanted to scream, he wanted to do something.
The council reappeared and he froze. Their expressions were unreadable, completely blank. There was no emotion behind their eyes.
"We have reached a decision," said Disney. "You will be given what you have asked for but not in a way in which you have expected."
"You have done terrible things in your first lifetime, things that deserve the Fields of Punishment," added Minos.
"But you have set things straight in the end. You will be given two choices on your rebirth, Luke Castellan. Choose wisely,"
"What are the choices?" he asked.
"Ten days and you will know the decision you will have to make. During the ten days, you will feel the remorse of everything you have done. Your audience has now been adjourned."
And with that, the judges all raised their right hands and snapped their fingers. Luke suddenly felt an immense pain, even more worse than the pain from the River Styx. So many faces flashed through his head, as though he felt every ounce of pain that he had ever inflicted. The floor vanished beneath him and the room just started spinning. He felt like skin was on fire and he could taste the blood on his mouth. The spinning and pain went all for what seemed like forever.
Then there was a thud. His body was on what felt like sand and soil. The fragrance of flowers was overwhelming and the sunlight managed to squeeze through his eyes. He couldn't see straight or even move for that matter. All that was coursing through his mind was the insurmountable pain and an unfamiliar female figure looking down on him.
A/N: yeah, not my best. XD I didn't really think the beginning through. I just have the middle and ending completely figured out. The beginning is really choppy. Read and Review if you're awesome which you are! :)