Chapter Fourteen: The Barrens of Limbo

The portal swirled behind them as Mark, Kane and Blake stepped through from Los Angeles. Clouds of fine, gray dust puffed up from the ground as the human world behind them disappeared. Before them was a barren wasteland; no life seemed to spill from the dunes. There were scavengers of course, but they were close to the point of starvation. The dunes seemed to stretch on for miles, with no clear ending. Storm clouds raged above, casting a pulsating shadow over everything. Thunder rumbled, though no lightning broke through the clouds. The wasteland was very intimidating and almost empty. Whites puffs of smoke seemed to waft in and out of existence.

Blake took a breath and turned to his uncle and father.

"I guarantee you, no one is going to be happy to see you," he said, slight smile on his face. Mark grinned in return.

"No one ever is," he replied, his gaze passing behind his son back into the wastelands. Everything seemed so... desolate. There was no life here, and it unnerved him.

"So what do we have to do?" Kane asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Blake looked at him, only to be cut off.

A cloud of black smoke appeared in front of him. It eventually took the shape of a human, though no features could be made out. It was nothing but smoke. It reached out a ghostly arm towards the dunes.

Kane stepped towards it and leaned down to get a closer look.

"If my guess is correct, this is a Shade. Guides to the wayward souls in the Underworld, right?"

The Shade continued to point, not acknowledging Kane's proximity. It pulsed and pointed.

Blake stepped back in front of the Shade and turned to his father.

"If you get to Heresy, there will be a bridge that splits into three. My domain is to the right," he explained, waving his hand. The portal behind Mark and Kane pulsed back to life and switched from the green light it had been to pale blue. The spires of Castle Pagonia, the snowy cathedral in Blake's domain, could be seen above the snow banks. Blake watched it pulse before looking back at his father. "Come to me first as I can help you prepare for the rest of the trial."

"Will do," Mark said, nodding. Blake gave him an odd smile before stepping through the portal.

Mark turned back to his brother who was waving his hand in the 'face' of the Shade. He slapped his brother on the shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to see if it has a consciousness or if it's just a cool-looking GPS," Kane replied, still waving his hand.

Mark rolled his eyes and stalked off in the direction the Shade was pointing. It lowered its arm and floated after him. Kane rolled his eyes and darted after his brother.

"So, what do you think we'll have to do first?" he asked, keeping an eye on the Shade. It bobbed a few inches above the dunes and was a few feet ahead of them, allowing them to keep up as it led them to their destination, whatever that was. Honestly, this realm was so barren and cold that anything and anywhere could be the beginning of the trial. Maybe this was the trial. It was the first layer after all. Limbo.

"Well, Limbo is the place where the pagan and apathetic were sent in the Divine Comedies, so we'll probably have to do a spell or something," Mark mused, watching the Shade. It had stopped on top of a dune and hovered, its 'arms' by its side. It shook slightly as the men approached. "Looks like we've arrived."

The brothers stepped up next to the Shade and peered through the fog. Two spots of light, orange and flickering, could be seen in the distance, and as their eyes adjusted, a bridge came into view. It's brickwork was as colorless as its surroundings. It appeared to cross over a large chasm.

Mark turned to the Shade to ask if this was the right place, only to find their guide had disappeared. He turned to Kane who was looking at him.

"I have a feeling I know what's across that bridge, I just hope I'm wrong," he said. Kane shrugged and headed down the dune towards to bridge.

"We'll never know if we don't go and see."

Mark followed his brother down the dune and stopped beside him on the edge of the bridge.

Across the bridge was a large wall, surrounding what appeared to be a castle. Its feint outline could be seen through the fog, hidden behind a large silver gate. As the brothers stepped across the bridge, the details of the gate became clear. It was made of different kinds of flowers, dipped in silver to preserve them. Above the flowers was dark iron, curved to read 'Erebus'. As they approached, the gate split open and allowed them entrance. The courtyard looked similar to that of Castle Pagonia though was much darker and more dusty. The castle had large spires and was covered in harsh spikes, intimidating in its silence.

Standing in front of the fountain base was a shrouded figure, though Mark recognized the armor immediately. He stopped short and cursed under his breath.

Kane looked between the figure and his brother.

"Do I wanna know?"

Mark turned to him.

"Lemme test your knowledge of Greek Mythology. Erebus is home to...?"

Kane turned and looked at the figure again, watching as they removed their hood. A man stood before them, one he didn't recognize. He had ash gray skin, long white hair and dark eyes. The cloak he wore covered most of his armor, but he could see intricate details on the chest plate. He was holding a duel horned helmet. When the figure grinned at the pair, a shiver ran down Kane's spine. He immediately knew who it was.

"Hades."

"Give the man a prize," Mark fumed, marching towards Hades.

Hades' smirk continued to grow as he came face to face with Mark.

"Let me guess," the Guardian said, stopping just short of the God. Hades peered at him. "We have to fight you?"

Hades laughed, a heartless laugh that echoed around the courtyard.

"To what end? This is the realm of the apathetic. The first circle of Hell. Fighting me here would counter balance everything."

Kane appeared behind Mark, watching the two carefully. Hades shot him a look before returning his gaze to Mark.

"It's your fault I have to run this stupid gauntlet, Hades," he seethed, glaring at the God.

"Perhaps, but you have chosen to 'run' it, regardless. Who have you chosen as your partner?"

Kane chose this moment to step forward. He stood beside Mark, arms crossed across his chest, proud smirk on his face.

"My brother, Kane," Mark said, never breaking eye contact with Hades.

Hades nodded and gestured to his right. There was a large archway that led from the courtyard to somewhere in the barrens.

"This way," he said, stalking off before the brothers could react.

Mark watched him stop at the archway, waiting for them to catch up. He turned to his brother who was staring at Hades.

"Do we trust this?" he asked, looking at Mark. Mark shook his head and began walking towards the arch.

"I don't trust Hades as far as I can throw him, but it's the only way to get to Serenity. Nothing will stop me from finding her."

Kane fell into step beside him and snorted.

"Let your dick guide the way, brother."

Hades led them for miles through the dust piles, bobbing and weaving their way through. It was quiet, save for their footsteps and the occasional chirp of one of the scavengers looking for their next meal. No one spoke, and soon enough they reached their destination.

"This is the River Lethe," Hades explained, stopping on the banks of a river. It was as clear as polished crystal and as still as a grave. Across the river on the banks was Hades' three headed hell hound, Cerberus. It was resting against the banks, the three mammoth heads peering down at the brothers and their master. It was a huge sight to behold.

Kane felt his jaw drop open a little; he'd never seen anything so huge before. Mark tapped his chin to close his mouth.

"There are much more impressive things the lower we go," he said.

Kane nodded. The brothers turned to peer at the Lord of the Underworld.

"Many mortals know this place as the River of Forgetfulness," the God explained. He stared down into the depths. Raising his hand, he curled his fingers into a fist. Two lights appeared beneath the surface of the river, bobbed for a second then disappeared. He turned back to the brothers. "Your task is simple. Retrieve the souls of the people you love the most from the bottom before they lose their memories."

He shrugged and stepped down onto the river. It rippled as his foot landed on the top but didn't allow him to sink. He stepped across as if the river were made of ice, and stepped onto the opposite bank. He reached up to touch one of the noses of his pet.

"What happens if we don't?" Kane asked. Hades turned and smirked at him.

"They will forget everything they know, and you will be trapped here for all eternity." He looked at Mark who stared back at him. "For the love of Persephone, succeed. I would hate to have your company for that damn long."

Mark smirked and looked down into the river. He could make out dark shapes swimming within it, and he immediately knew it was much deeper than it looked. He looked over at Hades as he sat on the banks, removing his boot and shaking it dry, grumbling to himself. Hades must have been filled with vanity if a little water was making him irritated.

Kane stepped down the bank carefully. He crouched on the side and reached down.

"No, stop," Mark called, freezing his brother in his tracks. He curled his fist and tugged, his powers dragging Kane back up the bank. The pale man groaned as he landed back first in the dust.

Mark looked down at the banks again, then across to Hades.

"You have very little time to waste, Guardian," the God called, replacing his boots. He smirked, crossing his legs into a meditative position.

"How are we supposed to do this, Hades?"

Hades smirked and closed his eyes, ignoring him. Mark rolled his eyes and turned back to Kane as he sat up and rubbed his head.

"Okay, first of all, don't do that again," he groaned, forcing himself to stand. He appeared to be seeing stars, but that was normal for a mortal exposed to Mark's powers. His son had experienced the same thing many years ago. It wasn't something he liked doing, but sometimes it was necessary.

Kane stepped up beside his brother and looked at him.

"Second, why the hell did you do that in the first place?"

"Hades wouldn't touch the water, that has to mean something."

Hades was known throughout the Greek pantheon as a puzzle maker. Many beings had come before him in the time the Greek Gods ruled and he had given them eternal puzzles to solve as punishment for their sinful ways. Any task that was set by the God of the Dead was certainly going to be difficult to figure out.

"Or maybe he's just vain," Kane said, jabbing his brother in the ribs. Mark grunted and glared. "We have to go down there and retrieve your loved ones."

"There's gotta be more to it than that."

"There isn't," Hades said from across the river, now levitating slightly above the ground. Cerberus grunted and rested its heads on its paws, watching the two men closely.

Mark grunted, turning to his brother. He had a split second to react before Kane dove head first into the river and disappeared beneath the surface.

"Kane!"

As the air bubbles disappeared, Mark growled and ripped off his shirt, diving in after his idiot brother.

~X~

"And that is how you make a paper crane."

Brooke stared at the piece of folded paper in her hand. She was still with Marcella and Sam, though Sam had disappeared a few minutes beforehand. She and the young girl were sitting on the living room floor in front of stacks of colored paper.

"That was very confusing," Brooke said, though she smiled and put the paper creation on the coffee table.

Marcella giggled and hauled herself onto the sofa.

"It can be. I find it very calming. Especially with the visions I get."

Brooke sat down across from her and rested her chin on her knees.

"Do the rest of the alters have the visions too?"

Marcella shook her head, reaching for her cup of tea. She was very sweet and nice, and that came through with every thing she said and did.

"No. At least not that we're aware of; Fox and Lucas are still new and we're not sure if they have any inherent powers or not," she explained.

Brooke smiled and shook her head, still highly confused by this entire situation, though she was beginning to understand.

As Marcella had explained it, Lydia had suffered severe trauma when she was a child, forcing her still-developing personality to split. Some of the alternate identities held memories of that trauma, but some didn't, allowing Lydia to grow up with as little painful memories as possible. Any time she suffered trauma, a new alter would form to keep that trauma away from her and keep her safe. Brooke felt more and more helpless when she counted all of the alters. Eighteen, including Lydia, which meant she'd been hurt seventeen times, twice within the last year which caused Fox and Lucas to appear.

Brooke wondered if the pain James had gone through would cause the same thing.

"Can the condition form in adulthood?" she asked, gauging Marcella's reaction. The woman blinked then shook her head.

"No. Dissociative disorders like D.I.D and OSDD only happen from trauma caused in childhood. So no, James doesn't have it," she replied.

"How did you know I was taking about James?"

Marcella smiled. Brooke grinned back and shook her head, slapping her palm against her forehead.

"Duh, psychic," she said, looking back at Marcella, just as Sam wondered back into the room to the sound of flushing water.

"How are you two getting along?" he asked, swinging himself onto the sofa. Pippa yipped and jumped onto her master's lap.

Brooke grinned and lobbed a pillow at him. It hit him squarely in the jaw, causing him to squeak in surprise. Pippa barked then turned to Brooke, growling and barking. She couldn't help but giggle.

Eventually they fell into a comfortable flow. Sam and Pippa played on the sofa while Marcella tried to teach Brooke how to make even more origami animals. The three sat and got to know each other as the sun traveled across the sky, stopping for lunch. Marcella switched back and forth with Lydia and Molly a few times, which caused her body to become exhausted.

"Go upstairs and rest if you need to, 'Cella," Sam said, noticing the tiredness behind her eyes. She shook her head, only to be silenced by a yawn.

"We'll be fine," Brooke added, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Marcella peered at her. Brooke noticed her pupils growing bigger, which she'd noticed happened when a switch was about to occur. She didn't appear to have control over who was out and who wasn't, though Sam had explained that was one of the drawbacks of the condition; frequent switching between the identities was very common and they had very little control over it.

Eventually, Marcella conceded and stood, waving goodbye as she went upstairs. Sam watched her go, his gaze hard as she left.

"Fox is coming out," he said after the bedroom door had closed. She looked at him and watched the concern in his eyes. He looked back at her.

"How do you know that?" she asked, crossing her legs. He smirked.

"I've come to know all of their mannerisms. Fox is the only one who is left handed and she was using her left hand a lot more. It's probably best that you don't meet him yet," he explained, gently petting Pippa. She mewled happily and snuggled into his legs.

"Why?"

"Fox is what is called a persecutor alter. He blames Lydia for the abuse that happened to her and believes she needs to pay for her crimes, even though she was a victim." Sam sat forward, shooing Pippa to the ground. "He's modeled after the person who hurt her."

Brooke felt her rage coming to the surface. She looked up to where Lydia's room was and growled. Lydia had been a child when she'd been hurt. She hadn't had a choice in the pain that had been inflicted on her. She was not to blame. Her alters were a defense mechanism, and even they were trying to hurt her. She couldn't imagine what it was like to live in Lydia's head, with constant reminders of what she went through.

This thought brought the thought of James with it and she felt her throat grow tight. Thinking about the pain her mother had put him through made her furious, and she often cried with rage.

Lady Iremia had no right to use anyone as her personal assassins, no matter who they were. Maya had been innocent, merely a simple practitioner of healing magick. She used her gift to help others, and her life had been snuffed out at the mere whim of an angry goddess. Why? What had Iremia known about Maya that James hadn't that had made her so dangerous?

"You okay?"

Brooke looked across to the concerned Sam. He smiled at her, though his eyebrow rose in question. She shook her head and stood.

"I need to go home. Lydia is lucky enough to have you and the other, less abusive, alters to look after her. But James has no one. He needs me."

Sam pondered for a moment before nodding.

"Go to him, Princess. You might be the only one who can save him."

Brooke nodded and smiled, darting out the door to her motorcycle.

~X~

Darkness surrounded Mark as he searched around the depths for his brother. Pulsing lights blinked at the bottom of the river, disappearing when something swam passed it. He wasn't sure if it was Kane at all, and there was no way to tell in the depths. He was able to breath, thankfully, but his mouth seemed to be glued shut as he swam further down.

The more he swam, the more tired his muscles became. It was as if he was forgetting how to use them, and his powers were unable to help him. He was stuck somewhere inside the River Lethe and he wasn't sure if he'd been pulled down stream or not. He had no way of knowing where the hell he was. All he knew was he had to get a loved one from the bottom or risk losing his memories.

A tap on his shoulder drew his attention and he spun quickly, ready to kick away from his assailant. It was Kane. His younger brother smirked and pointed downwards.

Below them were a pair of white lights, two prone bodies bobbing up and down in the current in front of them. A chain appeared to hold them to the bottom of the river. Mark looked back at Kane and watched the smirk spread across his face as he jerked down, using his strong legs to propel him downwards. Mark followed suit.

It felt well below freezing at the bottom, but the two brothers made it and peered at the silhouettes. One had long, braided hair, the other had cropped hair that reached their shoulders. It was hard to tell who they were but Kane seemed to grow angrier as he stared. He swam down, picking up a discarded iron bar. Mark raised an eyebrow at his brother. Kane reached across to the silhouette with braids and turned the face towards him. It was Raven.

Mark blinked and swam closer to the second silhouette. As he drew closer, flashes of red and blonde hair streaked through the light and Mark immediately knew who it was.

The muffled sound of metal on metal drew his attention and he looked across to Kane who was wailing on the chain holding Raven to the bottom of the river. He swung and swung until the pressure of the water around them broke the chain and set Raven free. Kane grabbed at his face and shook him. Raven merely bobbed in the water, attempting to float upwards.

Mark gestured for the bar and Kane threw it to him before grabbing Raven around the arm and kicking away, propelling them both to the surface. Mark turned back to his loved one and swam down towards the base where the chain stuck firmly into the ground. There was also a metal bar that surrounded the chain at its base, held in place by a padlock. It looked old-fashioned, with a slot for a large key. Mark looked up at his loved one then back at the padlock. He didn't have time to swim around searching for a key.

He summoned what strength he had and smacked the bar against the padlock. It moved, but didn't snap apart.

Mark wailed on the padlock, his strength fading with every strike. The padlock held fast, glinting in the light as if to taunt him. He couldn't do this, no matter how hard he tried. It seemed the more he tried, the more he failed. Perhaps giving up with his best option.

As he felt the iron bar slip from his hands, pale fingers curled around his wrist. He jerked up and stared into the mismatched eyes of his brother. Seeing that spark of life brought with it a renewed sense of hope. Mark couldn't do this on his own, but he wasn't alone. Kane was here to help.

Together they jammed the metal pole into the loop of the padlock. Mark kept his foot on the padlock so it wouldn't move as Kane wrenched the pole to the side. The strain caused Kane's muscles to grow tense and red. He pulled as hard as he could, putting all his remaining strength into it. Mark swam to his side and held the pole, adding what little strength he had left.

The padlock snapped free, shooting the brothers forward.

Mark shook his head as he looked into the eyes of his loved one. They stayed firmly closed. Mark reached up to touch his face, making sure he was still alive. He was warm to the touch, so Mark grabbed his arm, beginning the slow climb back to the surface. Kane grabbed the other arm and together they swam upwards.

Eventually, Kane separated from the duo and retrieved Raven who he'd left in the crevasse of some rocks. The two brothers swam with their loved ones, kicking with as much strength as they could muster.

Drained and exhausted, they hauled their captives onto the shoreline. Mark gasped on stale air as he hauled himself up, barely acknowledging Kane's presence beside him. He fell face first into the dust, turning his head to the side to take in gulping breathes.

Muffled clapping pierced through the fog in his senses and he looked up.

Hades stood across the shore with Cerberus still, though Cerberus was now crouched and ready to defend his master.

"Well done, Guardian," the Lord of the Underworld said, crossing his arms over his chest. "You have retrieved your loved one from the bottom of the River of Forgetfulness and so have passed the first challenge."

"That," gasped Mark, pushing himself upwards, "was harder than you made it sound."

"Perhaps, but it served its purpose," Hades replied with a sarcastic shrug of his armored shoulders. Mark glowered at him.

"Why did you drag Raven into this?" Kane growled, on hands and knees like his brother, Raven tucked safely beneath him. "He has nothing to do with this!"

Hades smirked and snapped his fingers. The two rescued loved ones faded away in a cloud of white lights.

"Neither do you, Kane, and yet here you are." He stepped onto the paw of his behemoth pet and was raised to sit on his back. As Cerberus turned to take them back to the palace, Hades smirked down at the brothers. "When you are both ready, and not a moment before, follow the Shade to the next challenge."

Cerberus leaped over their heads and landed gracefully, galloping away through the dust dunes, back towards Erebus.

Mark took a deep breath then allowed himself to collapse. Kane leaned back and screamed loudly.

"What the hell kind of shit have you dragged me into?!" he roared, kicking his brother in the side. Mark groaned and rolled out of his reach, staring up into the cloudy sky.

He'd figured from the very beginning that his loved one would have been Serenity, or at least Michelle. No, his bright red hair had only been inherited by his sons, and this one in particular had always put golden streaks through it to emphasize how red it actually was. Gunner had always craved the center of attention, and adding the highlights to his hair had solidified it. No one would ever forget the red and blonde rapper for as long as they lived.

"Who was yours?"

Mark looked over at his brother as he took labored breathes, holding at his ribs. Guilt rose up inside him. He'd assumed that the trial would be all over him since he had instigated it, but Kane's partner had been dragged into the fray. Now, it seemed, both brothers were in it for the long haul, if only to reach Hades and pull him apart.

Mark blinked.

"M-my son," he coughed out, reaching up to massage his throat. "My first born son."

Kane smirked and climbed to his feet, offering his brother his hand.

"I thought you said you don't speak to your son?"

Mark took his hand and struggled to his feet, the feeling finally returning to his cold limbs.

"He doesn't speak to me," he replied, coughing a little. "Gun thinks that everything I do is for the betterment of myself, but I give up everything I can for my kids."

"Does that give you a sense of accomplishment?" Kane asked as they began walking. Mark raised an eyebrow.

"I guess, because it means I did my job as a father."

"Then it was for the betterment of yourself."

Mark stopped and watched as his brother kept walking. Kane stopped on top of a dune and waited for him to catch up, but Mark just stared after him.

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Mark sacrificed his body, mind and soul so his kids could grow up happy and safe. He had literally died to keep his children safe. He'd given them everything they could ever ask for, within reason of course, and they were grateful for it.

"I see I've caused your brain to spark," Kane called from the dune. Mark glared up at him.

"I gave up everything for my kids," he growled, watching as his brother wandered back down to him. Kane smirked.

"No, you gave up everything for you. You killed our parents and because Serenity has a sick sense of humor, you survived and I was brutally scarred. Since then you've done everything in your power to get more power, and protect the ones you have. It's all very self serving," Kane said with a wave of his hand. He smirked again and Mark felt his rage boil. He had no right to speak that way. Kane hadn't been through the things he had and would never understand the sacrifices he'd made.

Kane trotted after Mark as he walked over the dunes, after a Shade as it wove its way through the dust.

"Mark, I honestly don't care. You're just following your primal instincts of self preservation. Embrace it and move on," he said. Mark growled as they stepped onto a narrow path.

"Shut up, Kane."

Kane smirked.

Mark stopped on the path, taken aback. The Shade had been weaving its way through the barrens which seemed to never end, but now, as if by magic, they were on a bridge that lead across a large canyon. Through the fog, a gate that was bigger than any they had ever seen stood, tall and imposing. Wrapped around the hinges were vines, sprouting from what appeared to be the wombs of women in degrading positions. As they looked, more images became clear. Men and women in compromising positions, raping and violating each other.

"Three guesses on where we're going next, and two of them don't count," Kane said, stepping across the bridge. Mark smirked and followed after him.

As they crossed the bridge, the gates glowed a bright shade of purple and split open, widening until the brothers could see the second true layer of the Underworld.

Lust.