Twilight of the Gods

Scene: Takes place within the Alt Universe, outside of reality, along the mystical realm between Earth 1 and Earth 2, per Marcus Worthington, Chronicler of Days.

War was always a part of the human condition, from the first time one cave man hit another with a large tree branch, or one hominid tossed a boulder at another, and killed him. War would exist. Humans would wage war individually or in groups over food, mates, or perceived territory. For eons, the humanoids would find reasons to make war. One tribe would fight another, sometimes over hunting rights, or a specific watering hole. As humans became more sophisticated, so would their wars.

Then would come the wars over treasure, religion, politics, and finally ideology. The powerful would always attack or enslave the weak, the wealthy dominate the poor, the kings and warlords were exceptionally good at that, creating wars for profit. Humans would never truly all get along. Even if all of the wealth, territory, and labor were distributed equally, humans would still make war. The cycle never ends. Sometimes the ultra-powerful fancied themselves as gods. Mythology came into play.

One thing was certain, war was inevitable. Peace among individuals, peace among groups, peace among countries, and peace among the denizens of Earth would always be elusive. Now, very soon, mankind would leave its turbulent world for even more turbulence throughout the galaxy. – Marcus Worthington

War was beautiful. Ares, the Greek god of war thought as he sat upon the secondary throne of Olympus. One thing Ares failed to realize was that war, power, and popularity were cyclical, even for the great Pantheon of Gods. Ares and the like amused themselves by meddling in the affairs of the mortal realm. Every time a god, goddess, or demigod, would get bored, he or she would interfere.

Ares had been known to take human form and instigate a conflict between individuals or groups, sometimes both, just to see who would win. The Norse gods were no different, and neither were the gods of Chin, Japa, or Koryo. Some of the gods of India were more benevolent, but yet they'd interfere. The Greek gods, led by Zeus, the Roman gods led by Kel, and the Egyptian gods led by Ra, each fancied themselves to be in charge. They all failed to notice that they were not the ones in charge of eternity.

So what does this all have to do with the price of bananas in Lakeside City? Nothing. Marcus Worthington pondered. Today's gods, goddesses, and demigods, were now the corporate leaders, the self-aggrandizing politicians, and those in charge of everyday necessities of life. Nothing had really changed over the eons. He thought sourly. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Marcus recalled. His father had taught him that well-worn cliché before he'd died when Marcus was seventeen.

Corporate moguls were the new pharaohs, and politicians were the new kings, and most of the peasantry now worked long hours in factories, restaurants, or shopping malls. Marcus would never cry poormouth, given that both of his parents had worked long hours before their deaths. They weren't overly wealthy, but left Marcus enough money to start his first business, nearly twenty years ago. Losing his parents at such a young age, gave Marcus the motivation to create wealth. His first business venture was a simple video game development. It caught on right away, and the rest as they say, is history.

Ares, The Greek God of War paced nervously across his temple in southern Greece. Certainly, he was invisible to the general populace. His powers were diminished. After all, what is a god without worshippers? He'd been feeling a new presence of late. It remained elusive, but Ares had no doubt that something was there. His uncle, Hades, had expressed the same fears. Though Hades, ruled over the sinful souls, he'd also felt that something, or someone, was about to interfere in a big way.

Ares recalled some of the recent rumors. There had been talk on what remained of Olympus that a single god would take over. He'd questioned Zeus, his father, and Hera, his mother, but they seemed unconcerned. There had been persistent rumors of the concept of a one god. Ares smirked. How could a single god control everything? He pondered. That seemed ludicrous to him. Even Zeus hadn't been able to control everything. His own children had proven to be uncontrollable.

One thing was certain, Ares believed, was that the worshippers of the Pantheon of Gods had been dwindling quickly. Where had their souls gone? Ares questioned Hades in length about it. Hades didn't have the souls. It turned out that no one possessed them. The Elysian Fields still held the same number of souls that it had for eons. The ranks of those who worshipped the Pantheon had always been rewarded. The Elysian Fields were sparsely populated. Ares has sent his sister, Athena to check and verify the number of souls within. She'd reported that none were missing.

"Brother, I've heard the mortals talking about a one god." Athena said as she sat on Ares' throne, and draped her muscular lengthy legs over the arm of it. "The only evidence that we have now, is our consistent loss of worshippers. Once in a while I've run into Kel from Rome, and Set from Egypt. They both admitted to the loss of worshippers. I believe that loss is also felt with the Norse and the Chin." The goddess of wisdom informed him. "How could one god rule over everyone? Even Zeus and Ra can't control all of the mortals. We can only inspire the faithful mortals to kill the faithless."

"Exactly, sis." Ares stopped his pacing to stare the Greek beauty down. He glanced at his temple entrance. "Someone's here." He announced, and drew his sword. The golden blade gleamed, as it reflected the flickering candles that lined Ares altar and wall sconces. Athena stood straight up and grabbed her own sword, as its jeweled hilt also caught the wavering candlelight. "Is it a worshipper?" Athena asked hopefully. "No, it's someone else. I'm not familiar with his aura." Ares replied.

"Forgive my intrusion, Lord Ares." The man began politely. "You can see me?" Ares scoffed. "Yes I can." The visitor confirmed. "How is that possible? My brother has not revealed himself to you." Athena challenged, as she leapt to Ares' side, sword in hand, and struck a fighting stance.

"Who are you?" Ares growled as he began to encircle the intruder. Athena began a counterclockwise move, ready to attack the visitor's flank. The man was dressed humbly in a simple red tunic. He placed his hands behind his back. Ares noted that the stranger was unarmed, and had brought no offerings.

"Who I am is not important. What I know is of utmost importance to you and the great Athena." He responded in a calm unwavering voice. Flanked by the god of war and the goddess of wisdom, would unnerve any mortal man. This guy was unreadable and unflappable, confident, and patient.

"I admire your bravado, mortal." Ares hissed as he placed his sword on the man's shoulder. "You are quite brave, mortal." Athena praised as she stuck the point of her sword lightly into his midsection without drawing any blood. "Give us this information, while we are still being cordial." Athena threatened. "I wish that I could, great Athena, but alas, I am a poor man. I lack wealth and influence." The man replied casually.

"You dare to come into my temple and attempt extortion, when you know that we will kill you?" Ares was incredulous. "You're either the bravest mortal in the world, or the most stupid." The man shrugged. "If you aren't interested, I can simply take my leave." The man said stubbornly. "How will you leave the temple in pieces, mortal?" Athena laughed sardonically, waving her sword in his face.

"Wait a minute." Ares' mood changed as he withdrew his sword and draped it over his shoulder in a relaxed manner. "You're not mortal. In fact you're not even from this realm." Ares said as Athena gasped. "That much is true." The stranger deadpanned. "What is it that you want?" Ares pressed as his curiosity finally got the best of him. "I simply require the souls that are now locked up in the underworld." The visitor suddenly changed his appearance, shocking both Greek gods.

The man became a tall, muscular, reddish black creature with large ram's horns piled high atop his elongated head. His triangular face resembled a goat with a bright gold and orange, hairy, goatee that extended outward from the end of his chin. His posture was slightly slouched, and his body was full of golden brown light fur. His muscular legs ended in heavy cloven, clawed, feet.

"Whoa!" Athena exclaimed as the creature towered over them. It turned its head, cocking it slightly, and eyed up Athena from head to toe. Its eyes were black as coal, rimmed by bright red. "What are you?" Ares was shocked, but tried not to let on that he'd been caught by surprise. "I am a who not a what. I am known as Mephistopheles. I rule over hell, and have done so for longer than you scrawny godlings have been alive. I tormented souls for eons before your vaunted Hades even came into existence."

"If you're all that, then what do you need us for?" Athena challenged, once again placing her sword at the ready, pointing its tip at Mephistopheles' throat. "What indeed?" The ruler of hell scoffed. He merely stared at Athena's sword, and it began to melt in her hand. She tossed it aside, and it landed in a corner clattering to a stop. It lay there smoldering. Now Ares was impressed.

"Your uncle Hades is being quite unreasonable." Mephistopheles began as he placed his clawed hands behind his back, turning away from the Greek gods in a show of arrogance. "If you want my uncle's souls, than why don't you just take them from him? It's because you can't." Ares answered his own question. "Correct, godling. My power is still limited to the edge of the River Styx. However once Hades is defeated, the souls within the underworld will be free for anyone to take." The ruler of hell stated.

"So you want us to turn against our uncle for you?" Athena was skeptical. "You underestimate the value of family, demon." Ares stood to face Mephistopheles. "What do we get out of it, if we were to help you?" He grilled. The ruler of hell extended his lengthy arms from his putrid smelling body. His fingers were three sharp claws. "I will give you both a portion of my soul collection. You can do with them what you wish. By the way, family is an inherent weakness. I have no such thing as family. I simply exist."

"No deal, goat boy." Ares rejected the super demon's offer. "I agree." Athena put in. "Why would we want to go to your hell? Olympus is beautiful. We will do the best we can to exist as we go forward." The ruler of hell sighed. "Very well. You will regret my one time offer. Olympus will fall. I have foreseen it. It is better to rule in hell, than to be subservient to the light." Mephistopheles disappeared in a ball of stinking, fiery smoke. "Well that dude sucked!" Ares bellowed as Athena gathered her damaged sword.

Athena waved the sword around, dispersing the acrid smoke towards the open stone doors of the temple. Her beautiful sword was now a crooked, useless tool, and its hilt was dark and burnt. "Look what that bastard did to my sword!" Athena swung it at Ares angrily. "I'll have Hephaestus forge you a new one, sis. At least we know that goat boy doesn't have our missing souls." Ares said with disdain.

Flash Forward to current days:

Three unusual beings stand face to face in a Lakeside City alley. To passersby, they simply looked like two homeless people and a large rat. "I suppose that we're here to stop you from derailing His plan." Mara accused the goat like being as she waved her flaming sword at him. "I'm actually here to warn Baal." Baltazar explained as his reddish shoulders smoldered.

"Baal is gaining far too much power. He has left the underworld and is now living amongst the mortals. He feels that now he's above everyone's level, and as you might imagine, my boss is not too thrilled. For eons, Baal has been gathering damned souls to use as bribes against the Harpees whom guard the exit and entrance to the underworld. Baal pays off the Harpees, who in turn gather power, though I don't really know what they have to gain by doing that. The Harpees can't defeat my Lord." Baltazar said as he scratched the black stringy hairs atop his goat like head.

"Ah, I see." Mara commented. "I suppose that you know where Baal is hiding right now." She fished, again waving her flaming sword around the area randomly. "I may or may not." Baltazar hedged. "I'm not really into information sharing. After all, what do I get out of it?"

Michael grinned thinly as he thrust his flaming sword into the air above them. "For starters, you'd get to keep your head, as ugly as it is." He threatened. "How would you like to spend eternity in several different pieces?" Baltazar would not be dissuaded. "You can threaten all that you want, being of light, but only I know or don't know the answer to your question."

Mara sighed. "This is getting us nowhere. Baltazar, either tell us what you know, or don't, but stop wasting our time." She complained as she sheathed her sword after it had returned to its normal golden hue and solidified. "My Boss is still proud of Baal's work. He admires initiative you know. Baal has amassed quite the following, especially in the Middle East." Baltazar hinted.

"The Army of Darkness!" Michael spat out as Mara glared at him. "Yes Michael. Well done. You're not as dumb as you look." Baltazar taunted. "Who would have thought that mortals would bring back beheading and crucifixion? They were very impressive under Baal's leadership." Mara scowled. "The Army of Darkness will be defeated ultimately." She assured them. "Perhaps. But how many souls will have been laid to waste by then?" Baltazar made a good point.

"I sense duplicity from you two." Baltazar mocked. "I don't believe that you are telling me the whole story. That's rather unexpected and unseemly for beings of your caliber, the creatures of light and truth?" Mara scowled at him. "That's an odd comment coming from a seventh level demon such as yourself." She challenged. "Why would we have any reason to be honest with you?"

Baltazar smiled revealing a full two rows of jagged yellow teeth within his goat-like mouth. "I thought that you two would set a good example for the rest of the force of light." He commented sarcastically. "Either way, I'll be watching. Believe me, there are others. If you insist on interfering in the normal course of events, I'll report that to my boss, and you know what that means. He'll have to consider that effectively breaking a truce between our realms. Are you truly here to begin the Apocalypse?"

"Baltazar, events have already been set into motion." Michael pointed out. "Your threats are irrelevant and meaningless. Do you really think that He and your boss don't know what's going on?" Baltazar shrugged as he changed his appearance to look like a middle-aged man in a business suit. "We shall see who becomes irrelevant and meaningless." He brushed back his dark slick hair and disappeared into the darkness of the alley. Mara and Michael exchanged glances.

"This is not unexpected." Michael remarked. "True, but it doesn't make things any easier." Mara said as she magically slipped back into her common looking blue denim skirt and white blouse. "We have to assume that if Baltazar knows, so do the others. The Baal cover story should keep them at bay for now." She added. Michael appeared in common looking black Docker pants and a beige polo shirt. "It's never really easy, is it Mara?" he sighed. "Let's get on with it. We may not have much time." Mara urged.