[IC] Escaping the Underworld

[TheUnknowable]

Robert Smit sat on a rock somewhere in a huge field in which billions of people sat or strolled aimlessly. He had no idea how long he'd been sitting there. Maybe I should start another fight, snap someone's neck. They'd be down for a few hours, tops, and at least the pain from the beating he got from the other denizens would liven the place up a bit.
He looked up an indeterminate amount of time later and saw a man standing there in Greek clothing, wearing winged sandals. Well, at least someone interesting showed up. A conversation with him should alleviate some of the boredom. "So, how long have you been standing there?" he said in Greek, having picked up several languages over the years. Centuries? Not a bad start to a conversation.
"Doest it matter?" said the man in Old English. "Thou art Robert Smit?"
"Ay" he said, surprised the man had come looking for him specifically.
"Thou hast been summoned by the god Hephaestus. Come."
What possible use could I be to a god? Whatever it is, though, it's got to be more interesting that this."Very well." Robert said, slipping into a more modern English. "I'll go with you.
The man grabbed his arm and they were in a forge of some form. A man limped towards him, followed by a woman in a long robe. "Greetings Robert the Smith." said the man, "I am Hephaestus, god of the forge. I've asked you here because I need help."
"You deem me worthy of being your assistant?" he asked, as the man he now knew as Hermes disappeared.
"Actually, I deem you worthy of being hers." Hephaestus said, pointing towards the woman the the robe. She pulled back her hood and Robert saw one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. He knew she had to be a goddess.
"Hecate," she said, "I've come to Hephaestus to get help freeing someone from Tartarus's version of a torture chamber."
"I'm sorry," said Robert, "But I don't understand the problem. You're the Goddess of magic. Couldn't you summon this prisoner?"
"It is protected from such magics, and I can't seem my own agent because they know I would never sent someone to my own daughter's chambers, considering the nature of most of her punishment."
Understanding what she meant, Smit looked at Hephaestus. "But they wouldn't suspect anything if he sent a servant in to meet her. I'm to be a double agent, only the one I'm fooling isn't one of my employers."
They nodded. "If you accept," said Hephaestus, "I will use you as a worker in my forge during the daytime, and you will go to her at night, to learn to use magic. Unfortunately, that will be fairly tough for you, as you can't technically be the servant of two gods at once, and you won't have her blessing."
"And what will I get out of it."
"Other than the equipment I give my assistants? When you are finished we will help you get back what you missed most down here."
"Action?"
"No, a life." said Hecate.
Robert nodded. "So, how do I sign up?"
Hephaestus waved his hand and the back of Robert's right hand burned. When it stopped hurting a few seconds later, he looked, and on it the symbol of an anvil. "Good," said Hephaestus, "now grab an apron and hammer from over there, and come over here. I've got an order of swords from Ares, and I'm a bit behind schedule.

[shi12]

Melina Thanos sighed, the Greek woman staring up at the odd skies of Elysium with a look of pure boredom. It was just too perfect here in the afterlife. After all these years there was nothing she wanted more than to live again, to be able to make mistakes, to help the problems of others, or just feel again. There was none of that here though, just happiness and bliss that meant nothing after so long.

There had been a time when she had loved the peace. She had spent years here rejoicing, dancing and singing. That no longer brought her any sort of false joy. There were days when she wondered why her father never pulled her from this ‘paradise’. He was a god after all; he could do it if he truly wanted. Yet she was still here, stuck in an eternity with no surprises.

Suddenly a shadow passed over her pondering form, stirring the girl from her thoughts. “Hello?” she asked aloud, her voice calling out in ancient Greek. For a second she thought the man above her was just another one of her vivid visions, or even a part of her strange imagination. “Are you Melina Thanos, daughter of Apollo?” the man asked in the same tongue, making her sit up. She tensed at the name, the name of her supposed father, the man who left her here for eternity.

Melina’s eyes scanned over the stranger, taking him in with sudden interest. He was dressed in the familiar fashion she was used to, the draping robes of fabric that were distinctively Greek. “Yes, what is it you need?”

The man smiled faintly, seemingly amused by something. “Daughter of Apollo, you have been summoned by the goddess Até. Now shall we go, there is much to do.” He replies, getting another grimace at the man’s name. Nonetheless Melina stood, nodding in quick agreement. “Then let us go.”