The Underworld

The boat touched land as the undead boatman gestured them off the ride. The party walked up the steps leading to a stone room, the only structure on this small island. There were numerous islands, all separating the four rivers leading to the middle, where they stood. They crept up to the door, then hid against the wall. Inside, a voice raged over loud whispers.

"What do you mean 'not good enough'!" Hades flamed a bright red.

"That's what she said." The small blue demon trembled as he reported. "'She's not good enough. Keep looking.' That's all." He put his hands up, as if expecting his master's wrath.

"Who said this?" The god continued storming around the room.

"The witch." The pudgy red demon continued the report. "She answered the call and everything." The flames covered Hades until fire shot out of the doorways and the single large window. Hades took deep breaths as he calmed down.

"Pain, Panic." Hades said in a calm, relaxed voice. "Get outta here."

"Yes, sir!" The blackened duo saluted, then stumbled right past Sora. Panic looked back, noticing Sora. "Human! Human!" He threw his arms in the air, knocking Pain over and down the stairs. Hades looked up from the strategy table in the center of the room. He walked out the door to see what all the commotion was about. Sora swung the Keyblade, Hades catching it in one hand. His fire remained blue, but it flared.

"So, you took me up on my invitation. So good to see you." Hercules pushed his way through to Hades.

"What did you do to Meg!" Hades kept his cool.

"Nothing, yet." He walked around them. "She's useless to me now, so I was gonna feed her to my dog or something." Hades carelessly to Cerberus at the gate.

"You-" Hercules charged. Hades grabbed his arm, swung him around, then grabbed him by the hair. He lowered Herc's face to above the water.

"See there?" He pointed to the spirits floating through the river. "That's what happens when you mess… with me." He pushed the hero back over to Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Herc charged again. "You just don't learn, do you?" Hades spun him around, then through him into the group, launching them over the water onto a larger island. "Usually, I'd make a wisecrack or something, but now I'm really, REALLY angry!" Body fire turned from blue to red as the Lord of the Underworld flew over the river. Hades spun around, launching an enormous fireball at the cave wall, causing it to collapse. "Sic 'em!" There was a loud roar as a large, black foot stepped through the hole.