It wasn't long before Pit, Kuro, Ephraim, Lucina, Aegle, Remiel, and Henry had all assembled in the Gate chamber. The god of Light headed to the back of the room near the gate, and his companions' gazes all watched him uneasily. The tension and anxiety in the air around them was almost tangible, and he could see Remiel trying as hard as he could to put on a strong face. Kuro just looked angry, and Ephraim still seemed distracted by whatever it was bothering him personally. Pit sighed inwardly and chewed his lip for a moment before raising his eyes to meet them.

"There's no need for me to remind you all of what's happening with the Underworld," he began. "So I guess I'll just jump right in. We're at war." Perhaps the most surprising thing was that no one seemed surprised. Remiel lowered his head in shame and Henry dropped his gaze. "Yes, I met with Nemo. But..." he paused, unsure how to handle such a delicate matter. "It wasn't Nemo I spoke with. It was Hades." Had his mood not been so sour, he may have laughed at the dumbfounded expressions on Lucina, Aegle, and Henry's expressions. But he had no desire to smile, let alone laugh.

"What does that mean?" Aegle asked, and Pit raised his hand in a request for silence.

"Hades was the original lord of the Underworld," he explained. "Back long before even angels existed. From what I understand, he's always been tricky to deal with, but it wasn't until after I defeated Medusa for a second time that he suddenly kicked down the door and launched a massive invasion. I defeated him in battle, but only his body. The Underworld Army built him a new body out of souls and he struck again only a few weeks later. I imprisoned him somewhere deep in the Underworld, but..." he fell silent and barely registered Remiel flinching. He knew where the story was going. "Nemo freed him. This was back when Nemo was still only the Oracle of Darkness, and he'd barely had a taste of freedom after everything he dealt with from Medusa.

"He used his power as an Oracle to mask Hades and their actions until it was too late. But..." Pit bit his lip again and turned to his twin. "Kuro, you know this better than I do." Kuro nodded and sighed as six pairs of eyes fell on him.

"Viridi had Pit and me playing fetch for the other Oracles," he went on. "I was looking for Vis up in the mountains when Nemo approached me and said I was going to die if I kept fighting for Skyworld. He offered for me to join him and Hades, so I did- not really, but I figured it'd give me a chance to see what they were up to. Hades had me steal Pit's soul so he wouldn't interfere in what they were planning, and I did- kept it safe until I could return it to him." Both Lucina and Aegle stared at him, but he ignored them and continued. "It wasn't long after that Hades, on Nemo's suggestion, unleashed a strike that basically wiped out the world save a few survivors here and there. But it left him weaker than a limp noodle, and Nemo took that opportunity to finish him off." His eyes darkened. "He said something about avenging someone named Leale and tore Hades's soul apart We thought he'd destroyed Hades himself and only left his power as the lord of the Underworld, which he took for himself, but I guess we were wrong."
"Kuro and I fought back against him after that," Pit continued. "And Nemo and I agreed on a duel. I won, and he restored the world as best he could. But he couldn't bring back Hades, at least at the time, so he remained in power." He shrugged. "And the rest is history."

"So... Okay, so Hades wasn't a nice guy," Henry guessed, and Pit nodded.

"Not at all. He slaughtered for the fun of it and used souls for whatever suited what he wanted. He bolstered his army's numbers and... well, ate them for whatever reason. He doesn't care at all about the Celestial Balance. And... if we let him continue, then there's no telling what he'll do to the humans- and to us. He's out for revenge and had a millennium to plan it."

"But what about Father?" Remiel asked rather hopelessly.

"I don't know," Pit admitted. "I don't know if he even exists anymore or if Hades destroyed him and is just using his body- and he said he'll get rid of that soon enough."

"But if he is still alive, is there a way we could just purge Hades from his body?" Aegle wondered. Pit shook his head.

"I don't know, Aegle. As far as I know of, Nemo and Hades can't really coexist now. Their souls are too tightly bonded together. So destroying Hades would probably-" His voice caught in his throat unexpectedly, and he swallowed back a sudden lump in his throat as he realized what it was he was saying. "It would probably mean..."

"Killing Nemo," Lucina finished.

Silence fell over them for some time. Most of them had only known Nemo as a close ally, a friend, even a father. Only Pit and Kuro had ever seen him as an enemy, and that was hundreds of years ago. Pit considered him once of his closest comrades and, indeed, an even closer friend.

"No," he finally said. "Only if we have no other choice. I'll do everything in my power to find a way to save him."

"Lord Pit..." Remiel mumbled, then raised his voice. "Father would want you to do anything and everything you can to protect the Celestial Balance. No matter what it takes." Henry nodded in agreement.

"I know, Rem," Pit replied. "I know. And... if it really comes down to it..." He didn't want to think about it. "Okay. First thing's first: The humans. They can't take on the Underworld on their own, and we don't know what Hades has at his disposal. So..." He frowned in thought. "We may need to split up- Lucina and I, and maybe you, Henry, will head down to the Overworld and help them fight off the Underworld Army. Kuro, you, Ephraim, and Remiel will go to the Underworld itself and see what damage you can do on that end. We can't face Hades in a full-on battle right now."
"So we'll break down his resources while you cut off the inflow of souls," Kuro surmised, and Pit nodded. "I've got nothing else. Let's do it."
"So we all agree, then?" Pit asked, scanning his gaze over his companions, and one by one they nodded. Well, all but one.

"Father," Aegle pleaded. "What about me?"

"You'll stay here in Skyworld," Pit replied, and continued before she could protest. "I don't want to leave our home undefended. And while the Centurions have gotten stronger, they won't be able to handle this- especially without a leader. I need you to be that leader until we get back." She still looked like she wanted to argue, but said nothing else and nodded. "Now... do you have what I asked you to bring?" She held up the box and he took it carefully. "Thank you." He looked up again. "All right. Everyone, get ready how you see fit. We'll meet in two marks' time and head out. Kuro, I'll want to talk to you in a few." With that, and a nod from his twin, they dispersed. Pit caught Lucina's arm to keep her from leaving, and she turned to him with curiosity, grief, and concern in her eyes.

"Thank you," she said, and he tipped his head to the side. "For keeping Aegle here. I don't know what I would do if I knew she was out there fighting too."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," he agreed. "Anyway... So... You, me, and Henry, huh? Just like old times." She smiled gently.

"It will be nice to see Ylisse again... Where I come from, the landscape would be a ruined hell right now."

"I know." He sighed. "And... I have something for you." He held up the box, and she took it carefully as her eyes watched his. "I don't know if I'd call it a gift or what... but I figured it was something you'd want to have around." He gestured to it, and she opened it carefully. And she gasped as water came to her eyes.

"Pit..." she breathed as she pulled the mask shaped like a butterfly from inside the box. Her fingers traced over the dark blue shape, the golden curves decorating it, so simple yet intricate. "Where... Where did you get this?"

"I've been keeping an eye out for it," he admitted. "For when it would be crafted in this time. I thought... I know it's given you a lot of weight, but..."

"No, you're right," she nodded. "I'm glad to have it again... And it seems I'll need it soon." It took her a moment longer before she tore her eyes away from it and met his. "Thank you, my love." He smiled softly and briefly took her into his arms. She returned the embrace before pulling back, returning her gaze to the mask. "I suppose I should prepare to embark. And you need to speak with Kuro."
"Yeah." He followed her out and they parted ways outside the chamber, and she never took her eyes off the mask as she went. He sighed silently, hoping he hadn't just made her burden even harder to bear, but continued on until he found Kuro outside waiting for him.

"This is gonna get messy," the red-eyed angel said as Pit approached him. "Do you really think you can win this, beat Hades, and still save Nemo?"
"Do you?"

"If that were possible, you would have brought Lady Palutena back a long time ago." The words stung, but Pit could see what he was saying.

"So you think there's really no way to destroy Hades while sparing Nemo."

"I'm being realistic, Pit," Kuro grumbled. "Look. Believe it or not, I actually like Nemo. But if it comes down to it, would you leave him alive even if it meant Hades destroying us? And what if there's nothing left to save?"

"Look, I'm not going to sacrifice the world for him," Pit snapped. "I'll do the best I can, okay? But... Right now, we need to focus on breaking down the resources Hades has. So whatever you do, don't challenge him directly. Any commanders he has are another story." Kuro feel deathly silent as he watched the skies at the edge of his vision. His expression was still, his mind lost in thought. Pit looked down for a moment. "I mean it, Kuro. Finish them off. No more chances. No more mercy." He expected a smirk, a jeer, from his twin, but Kuro only crossed his arms and turned to him with a darkly serious gaze.

"Understood," he nodded, and Pit could tell he knew just what the god was referring to. "This time, it ends." With that, he spread his wings and took to the skies toward the structure he called home, and Pit watched him go before his gaze drifted to the statue of Palutena in the distance.

About two marks later, he made his way back to the gate chamber where he found most of his companions waiting, and he felt a twinge of panic when he didn't see Lucina among them.

"We're ready to go," Kuro announced, holding the bow Dyntos had made for him so many years ago. "Got anything else you want to say?"
"Not particularly," Pit replied. "Just... be careful. All of you."

"We will, Lord Pit," Ephraim promised. The door creaked behind them, and Pit turned around to find Lucina entering- though it took even him a moment to realize it was her. She donned her mask and had cut her hair short around the nape of her neck, and had changed from her dress to a dark undershirt and leggings with brown, closed boots. She wore pale blue, fingerless gloves and carried a white tunic and brown belt in one hand, Falchion sheathed away in the other.

"Lucina..." he breathed. She watched him from behind the mask, her mouth an unreadable line.

"Perhaps it'd be best if you call me 'Marth,'" she replied. He sighed and nodded before turning back to the trio bound for the Underworld.

"Unless we can come back sooner, let's all try to meet again here in three weeks' time." Kuro nodded, and Pit waved his hand toward the Gate. It creaked open, and he raised his arm. Kuro braced his forearm against it and the two grasped hands for a moment as Remiel bade goodbye to his brother. Then, without a word, they left.

"Well, are you two ready?" Pit asked of his companions, and they both nodded. Before he could turn for the Gate, though, Aegle hurried over and hugged him tightly.

"Don't you dare not come back," she pleaded. "I'll be mad at you if you don't." He smiled softly and held her close.

"I'll be back soon, dear. I promise." She looked up at him, then pulled back and headed over to embrace her mother briefly. Pit tried to ignore the pained look in her eyes, the begging him to come back safely, but it strangled his heart. The Keepers' words from fifteen years previous rang in his head once more.

"Where there is life, there will be death."

He swallowed and headed for the Gate as it again creaked open, and he cast the Power of Flight to Lucina's wings before they both dove out and Henry followed close behind.