Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or its characters. They all belong to Hima. I also do not own the main plot with this story, though I did change a majority of it to make it work. The main story line belongs to Pearry Reginald. Thanks.

-Painless and Fruitless-

The world around Amelia was hazy, like she was being carried through a thick fog. The air around her felt dead, and it made her wonder if she actually were and if death was carrying her away. If she had died protecting her comrades and fighting in the name of the Holy Father then she would have been all right with death claiming her, except the path she felt herself being carried down was no Heavenly passage. There was no warmth or light, only darkness and the shivering breath that escaped her lips, which made her wonder why she would still need to breathe if dead.

Somewhere throughout the ride she heard crows squawking and fluttering from their perches to land elsewhere. It seemed as though they were everywhere yet nowhere at the same time. She heard them, but never saw a single black-laced feather in sight whenever she managed to open her eyes. But that all could have been because there was no light, not even a single glint of the moon shone wherever she was. Wherever she was being carried off to was certainly no Heaven and that theory made her shudder.

Questions plagued her mind about what she might have done wrong to deny her entrance into the Devine Kingdom. If she had really died alongside her comrades and protecting the weapon that God had entrusted in their care, then what had she done wrong?

You betrayed the Heavenly Father of Light.

A voice that sounded almost as her own purred in her head. Amelia shivered at the recognition and shook her head. No. Never would she betray the Heavenly Father in any way. Her purpose in life was to fight for him and give her life in the name of his glory. She would never even think about betrayal and being forever locked out of the gates where her ancestors wait.

The gates will never open for you. Your head will never truly be laid to rest.

That's impossible and absurd. Why would the Father of Light forbid her from ever entering his glorious kingdom? Years of praying at temples and learning patience in order to become a Holly Knight was an honor, one said that only the Father would grant those worthy if he saw them fit for his crusade. So if the Heavenly Father didn't grant her into his Kingdom, then why let her join his army and fight for his name?

Redemption.

The soft voice sang clearly in her head and Amelia knew that something about the word had truth behind it. Redemption. But why did she need to redeem herself in order to enter the Holy Gates?

None of it made sense and was all so new to her. Amelia had heard the voices before, but they were only faceless whispers that would never come to light in her dreams. They used to play out stories for her when she was young. Stories filled with romance, peace, a prince and his princess, a garden full of flowers of bright colors. She remembered them being magical and heartwarming, so much so that she'd sometimes wake up with her eyes full of tears.

It was when she grew older that those fairytale style dreams turned dark and disturbing. There were imagines of war and blood soaked fields. Women turned into widows and children into orphans. The worst part of the nightmares was always at the end. It was when the monster that lurked in the shadows of the dream would finally appear and committee the most horrific act. She would be hidden in the church and watch while the beast struck down all the worshipers with a weapon that sputtered lavender and sapphire flames. The dream would end the same way it always did when she went running and positioned herself in between the obscure monster and the Holy Steeple as the sword came down. There was no pain. Only darkness and longing came before she would startle awake.

The nightmares were a sign to Amelia of her purpose in life and how she was going to carry it out. She decided to train with the Holy Knight and one day fight the darkness and serve the Lord in any way that she could. If her dreams were really a sign, then she knew that one day her faith and strength would be put to the test. That is the reason that she trained so hard, because she wanted to protect those around her from the creeping darkness and exterminate the beast that would threaten her faith and her very life.

A sharp pain stabbed into Amelia's side and woke her from her trance. Her ears adjusted to the sounds around her and she was able to hear more clearly. Still tired and weak, she didn't bother on opening her eyes and decided to play it all by ear.

She recognized the thick sound of horses galloping over a hard surface. By the sound of it she would say there were quite a few. All off tempo and some sounded a lot heavier than others. She assumed the horses must have been tired from what must have been a long and tiring ride. The galloping got louder and louder and seemed to be bouncing off of stone.

There weren't many towns around that had too many stone pathways. The only that did were places of worship or castles.

Now curious to her whereabouts since she may in fact not be dead yet, Amelia grudged one eye open then decided that she needed two since there was no light and it was hard to see. At first she was only able to see a faint image of something moving so fast beneath her that she wasn't able to focus properly on it. It took her a few moments to adjust and realize that it was ground along with the front legs of a horse running so fast that their limbs were a blur.

When she did get on a horse? The last time she remembered being on a horse was when she and her older sister were galloping through the trees in search of their old friend, Arthur. An image of his face came to mind but it was different than before. It seemed as though he aged and the surroundings around him were none that she ever remembered seeing before. Had she seen him recently and just forgotten about it? No. She was sure that she would remember meeting with the man who had been there for most of her life. His appearance and personality was definitely not something someone would forget so easily. Even if they tried…

There was another sharp pain but this time is was right in the stomach and Amelia didn't hold back the groan. She wiggled around and tried getting a hand to reach under her body and see what was causing her pain, but noticed that her wrists were bound together behind her back. She then tried moving her legs only to find them tied together too. Lovely. She was sprawled over on top of a horse with her legs and wrists bound together, completely eliminating any chance of escaping unscathed. Could her situation possibly get any worse?

Just then a deep but distant voice echoed throughout the area. "Open the gates! The warriors have returned!"

Warriors? What type of warriors and just where was it that they were returning? Well certainly not somewhere where she would be welcomed due to having her tied up and being taken by force.

The loud galloping slowed and Amelia was able to breathe more freely again without having the wind knocked out of her after every stride. There was a loud and ear bleeding noise of an old gate slowly opening and Amelia turned her head over to see for herself of where she was being taken.

She didn't really know what to except once she looked up, but she definitely didn't think she'd be finding herself slowly trotting up to a large and forbidden looking castle. What unnerved her the most was the conflicting feeling inside that as unrecognizable and eerie the castle was, it was also very familiar. She hadn't seen the castle a day before in her life but she also felt she could describe it if asked.

Torches were lit along side the walls that framed the outer gate that was being opened for them. The closer they got, the slower their pace became as the hoard of horses and their riders gathered closely together. As soon as Amelia and her captor came riding up, all the other warriors moved aside and let them through to be in the front.

She looked up at the soldiers atop their horses as she passed and watched as they all glowered down at her, some even hissed and snarled at her when they made eye contact. She made sure to give them her best glower right back and smiled wickedly when they would snap in her direction but did not make any attempt to move forward and really do her harm. Obviously whosever horse she was atop was some type of commander and all the other riders wouldn't dare take any unwanted step forward or get in their way. It made Amelia upset that she couldn't turn herself around enough to get a look at the knight that had her bound on top of their horse. It hurt enough to even have her head stretched up to get a look at the other soldiers.

Her horse was first to pass the gates as the others trailed in hastily behind them. It was still very dark but she was able to make out that they had entered a large courtyard filled with other warriors, horses, and weapons along side the walls. It was a large space and Amelia wondered just how much there was that her eyes couldn't see. She feared of what other creatures might be lurking in the shadows, watching her as she blankly searched around. From what she could tell she was the only human within the walls. It sent a shiver down her spine to think that she could possibly be the only one of her kind or someone that fought for the Light, because everyone else there seemed to be of the opposite.

All of a sudden the horse she was on stopped and she jerked forward at the halt. She grumbled and shuffled on top of it but stopped when she felt a heavy, cold hand being placed on her back. She froze, nervous to what was going to happen next as she watched a solider in all black armor walk up to her horse. They stopped just feet in front of her but didn't even spare her a glance.

"Our Lord has been informed of your arrival. He has requested your presence within the throne room where he awaits your report." The soldier with half his face concealed ordered, and then glanced down at the woman in tow for a moment. "Shall you be taking the hostage with or should I have her escorted to the dungeons?" He didn't even finish his sentence before snapping his fingers and other men marched up to him from behind.

"She is a segment of the report so she will be appearing before the throne to our Lord. Have a special chamber in the dungeon prepared for her when her attendance is needed no longer. I want her separated from the other recidivists for now." The man atop her horse commanded. The solider standing gave her another probing glare before turning sharply on his heel and stalking towards the castle.

"Remove the woman." She heard him order before feeling the weight of the horse swift as he swung off. Next she felt her shoulder be grabbed at before she was roughly yanked from the horse. She would have went tumbling over except the guards grabbed her and held her upright by tightly securing her forearms.

"Gee, you could be any damn rougher?" she grumbled and one of the guards responded by tightening his grip, pressing on a tender wound and making her bite her tongue from screaming at him to lay off.

She winced and glared in his direction. "Take that as a yes…" she murmured this time low so the other wouldn't hear.

"Our Lord is waiting. Carry the hostage to the throne room." Amelia turned to who voiced the command and went rigid; all the memories before she was knocked out came slipping back. She remembered him, more particularly she remembered him attacking their camp then kidnapping her. She recalled seeing Gilbert amongst the mess and him screaming for her. He was over swarmed last she saw before everything went black. What did that mean about the others though? What happened to his sister or Arthur? Are they all right?

She felt the guards start to tug her forward but she dug her heels into the ground and fought back. One of them snapped their heads around and growled but she ignored him and kept her glare on the dark knight before her.

"What have you done to my friends and the others? I will take no part in this if they are hurt or," she swallowed the words she couldn't speak aloud.

The black knight with horns atop his helmet turned his head half way, his back still facing her as he stopped walking. "Your friends lives are useless to us. We only seek for what we are ordered to retrieve that is currently in their care." He said lowly and Amelia recalled what he had said before disarming her. He insisted on a trade between her and the Holy Weapon. She ground her teeth and shook her head angrily at the memory. There was no way that exchange would ever take place. Her life wasn't worth that of a weapon that could obliterate armies and rip a hole into the heavens.

The two guardsmen started pulling her again but she refused. "You're fools for even thinking that my life would be worth such a trade! My friends will never agree to it."

"One the sake of your life you better hope they do."

"My life is not worth saving if millions of other lives could be spared from your destruction." She bit out and the faceless knight turned on her and approached, his height towering over her and the other guards. "I do not know what preciously you plan on using it for, but I can assure you that you will never get the chance."

"Our Lord will possess the weapon whether your life is proved useless or not. No matter the armies you build around it, we will cut them down and your sacrifices will be for nothing in the very end." He grumbled darkly and Amelia glared up into the endless blankness of his helmet.

"You don't really think we'd die so easily by your hands? You and your pathetic master will never even come close-" then suddenly the guard that had hurt her earlier, let his hold of her arm go. She turned her body and looked at him in surprise before she saw his hand come up and she felt a burning slap right across her face. She went wheeling backwards and was caught by the other guardsmen.

"You shall speak no vulgarity against our Lordships quest or power you wench." He snarled at her and her eyes widened when she saw his hand rise again, though this time the dark knight grabbed him and yanked him back.

"Her punishment shall be decided by our Lord's hands, not yours." He barked at him and the guardsmen nodded discreetly before grabbing hold of Amelia's arm again.

This time she was silent. With her hands and feet bound together she was completely defenseless to any other attacks. She kept her head down and let her self get dragged forward once the knight turned and started making his way up to the double doors of the castle. There was the hustle of other soldiers around the courtyard preparing and being loud, but that was all muted, as she grew closer to the castle where a Lord was awaiting their arrival.

The walk through the castle was carried out in complete silence. Amelia had her eyes glue to the back of the heels of the black knight while they walked, not caring to look up or dare meet eyes with the rude guardsmen on her right. His hold on her was stricter than the others but she didn't say anything and let herself be dragged carelessly down the long halls.

They climbed several flights of stairs, with them having to carry her since her legs were bound, until they reached the destined floor. That's when the nerves really started to kick in. An unsettling feeling in her stomach told her that she shouldn't be there. That she really needed to get out of the castle or else something was to happen to her. The further she was dragged down the hall, the more she unintentionally started to resist.

"Starting to get cold feet now that you are to appear before our Lord?" the cruel guardsmen darkly chuckled as he pulled her along. "I'm sure he may forgive thee if apologized properly on hands and knees like any other wench."

Amelia opened her mouth to say something back in defense but the sound of two large doors opening stopped her. She looked up and gapped at the marvelous size of the wooden doors while they were being pulled apart. They started walking again but she was still so entranced with the glorious doors that she forgot to keep walking, resulting in them pulling her roughly forward.

"Here comes your judgment." He snickered as they followed the dark knight into the grand room.

The throne room was huge and Amelia found herself in awe trying to take it all in. She could see hints of a large-scale painting on the ceiling but it was too dark to be sure. She trailed her eyes along the walls and noticed that all the tall windows had long, dark purple shades concealing them. The floor was a dark wooden color, worn from having people enter over many years of ruling. Long white columns lined up across from each other that stretched from the door all the way to the grand throne.

Once Amelia's eyes reached the large silver throne she saw the silhouette of a man sitting atop it. Around him were women lying on the floor atop plush pillows and silks. They were all watching her, as she and the others got closer, their eyes glimmering with the reflection of the flames from the torches upon the walls.

The dark knight then stopped walking and fell to the ground to kneel. A few feet behind him Amelia was forced onto her knee when the two guards at her side repeated the action and bowed before the throne. A hand was brought up to the back of her head before clutching it and forcing her head down. She hissed at the action, angry that she was being forced to bow before a man that lead armies into holy lands and killed hundreds of her fellow knights in battle. She didn't know who this guy was, but she already hated him.

"My Lord, forgive me for I have failed to retrieve the relic." She heard the knight announce and the room fell silent of all sounds.

"Shall I empty the room my Lord?" a new voice spoke up and then Amelia heard the sounds of people starting to move and walk past her. She glanced to her side and watched as the women who were once at the feet of the throne were striding past her. One of them noticed her stare and smiled, exposing her white teeth and her sharp canines.

"Your favored knight has failed you yet again, my Lord. Perhaps his strength has dwindled along with his awareness? What shall we do with such an impractical disciple?" the voice that ordered everyone to leave said and Amelia wished that the hand holding her head down would let go so she could see whom was speaking.

"I've spilt my blood for thy Lord never disobeyed a command." The knight said angrily and she heard him suddenly stand as his heavy armor clanked. "Never once have I witnessed you leave these walls and do the same."

"Oh but I remain by thy Lord's side all day as he wishes. Plus I'm not the low one who is to do all the defile work. My place is here by thy Lord and that is where I will forever be by his command." Their tone was playful but earnest as she heard the man's voice from a new position about the room. They were most likely mocking the knight by strutting around him.

"Being pampered for so long has made you ill-advised. I suggest you hold your tongue and not speak such to those who wield the sword." The knight snarled back because removing his weapon, the sound intensifying the static air in the room.

"That is enough."

Then all was silent. Not even the slightest sound of the knight's armor could be heard. If anything it made the room feel more hostile. Amelia shuddered in her spot on ground, her head filled with the strange since of familiarity from the new voice. She moved her head to look up but the heavy hand on her just shoved it back down roughly.

She heard movement come from the throne and the sound of feet stepping lazily down the steps and then progress further towards them. With each echoing step, Amelia could feel her heart pounding in tune with them in her chest. The air around them dropped dramatically and she could feel goose bumps rise on her skin.

"I am disappointed in you, Toris." The familiar and strangely accented voice admitted as it drew closer. "You were but a young boy and stood bravely against my enemies with the little strength you once had. You had great courage, so I've given your strength equal enough to match that," his footsteps stopped and Amelia was able to turn her head enough to the side to see the legs of another standing before the obscure knight. "And yet you've failed me. Tell me how that is possible?"

"A wizard was along side those who were protecting the relic when we attacked. We were not accounting on a fighting a battle with such skilled fights before we set out. If we had known-"

There was an amused chuckle from the other side of the room then. "Always an excuse for your futile crusades, knight. Careful, out Lord has caught on to your pastime." Said the one who had been quarrelling with the knight previously.

Though he was ignored and the knight when on. "We were close to obtaining it until a wench prevented such and had an ally escape with it. I left the battle with a bargain for the wizard and his allies," he paused and Amelia then felt the hand on her head tangle itself in her hair and force her to her feet before shoving her forward. With her legs stilled tied together, she went tumbling forward and collided roughly into the hard wooden floor. She groaned in pain and swore to herself that she was seriously going to kick that guy's ass once she gets a sword in her hand.

She lay on her side with her hair covering her face. She would've moved it away so she could see clearly but that was hard with her hands still tied in strong knots. Past her strands she could see the feet of dark gray armor standing right next to her head. Her eyes widened at that, knowing that the Lord of Darkness was just feet from her as well as she lay bound on the floor.

"In exchange for their comrades life, they will hand over the relic willingly. If they reframe, I will have her killed before them with my sword." The knight announced the bargain again and Amelia almost rolled her eyes at him actually thinking they would agree to such a foolish deal.

It was silent after that and Amelia laid waiting on the ground. She swore she was the only one breathing since she couldn't hear any other taking the smallest inhale of breathe. It made her feel insanely loud even when she was doing absolutely nothing.

"Is this woman here the one you speak of?" The man above her interestedly asked as she listened to him walk around her tautly.

"Yes my Lord."

"Show me your face then, woman. I wish to see the face of the one who thought they could stand in my way and change the course of their fate." The Lord commanded and Amelia hesitated before pulling her self up and rising to sit on her knees. She kept her stare glued to the man's black boots that were but a foot in front of her face.

"I prefer to go death without seeing the face of a man that turned his back on the Light." She stated coldly and continued to keep her head low.

"You foolish mortal. You shall do what my Lord request of you!" The knight sneered and before Amelia knew it he was at her side. He fisted her hair in his grasp and yanked it back, stretching her neck back and exposing her face in the painful process.

"This here is the wench," he spat and yanked her hair back more, causing her to groan in annoyance and pain. "that let the relic escape from your grasp my Lord. If it weren't for her then our mission would have been an success."

"You bastard…" she growled at him through clenched teeth and tried shaking his hand off.

"What say you my Lord?" the knight asked but his master didn't respond. "My Lord?"

Amelia could feel the man's eyes on her face, studying her every detail. She wiggled uncomfortably from his intense stare and kept her eyes elsewhere. Anywhere than the man that stood towering over her.

"You…"

Amelia stopped her wiggling and stared at the wall, trying so hard to not turn her head and see the man for herself despite the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that begged for her to look up at him.

"Look at me." His voice was empty from any taunt or cruelty like it was before. Now it was soft, almost gentle and pleasing to the ear.

Finally giving in to temptation, Amelia slowly turned her head, first staring at nothing but the man's boots then trailing her eyes all the way up his long body until she met his eyes.

She heard that the Lord of Darkness and calamity to be a foul creature, one that dwelled alone in his castle and brought victims to be fed. He was supposed to be a beast, one that had horns like his dark knight and glowing red eyes like the cursed wolves he unleashed once every full moon. He was supposed to be hideous. He was supposed to be monstrous and only come to the eye of those who had been cursed.

Those were all the things he supposedly was told to be, but all those tales were wrong. He wasn't a beastly of a man, because he was undoubtedly the most exquisite man Amelia had ever laid eyes on.

Amelia couldn't help the way her body suddenly reacted to seeing his face. Her heart raced wildly in her chest that almost made her want to grab at it and hold it steady. His gaze was memorizing but intimidating at the same time. So much so that she wanted to look away but found that she couldn't even if she tried. She was trapped and she felt like she had doomed herself.

"Amelia…"

She twitched at the name along with the two others in the room who were watching the scene unfold.

"H-How is it you know my name?" she scanned her eyes over his features and noticed how they shifted like something was causing him internal pain.

Instead of answering her question, he darted his eyes at his knight that was still holding her head up and glared at him angrily. "Release your hold of her." He commanded and his knight hesitated confusingly.

"But my Lord,"

"I said release her!" he roared and his eyes flashed red in anger. The knight immediately let Amelia go and backed away several paces before bowing over in apology. "Leave us at once, Toris." And the knight didn't hesitant again and left the room swiftly as ordered.

Amelia sat on her knees in confusion, still deliberating how the man knew her name and ordered for her release. She looked up at him and realized that he was staring down at her again. He took a step towards her and she flinched and scooted back. He paused and frowned despairingly at her.

"I don't wish to cause you anymore harm." He said steadily and stopped his advancements.

"You're the Lord of Darkness, why the hell should I trust you?" she snapped back.

"Did I not just have you freed?" he raised a white eyebrow and Amelia paused and just stared up at him questionably.

"Yeah, and why did you? Am I not your prisoner?"

He was about to respond until the man who had been quietly watching in the corner finally spoke up. "My Lord," he mused skeptically and walked over to his side. "You don't honestly believe this is the same woman, do you? It is impossible for such events to happen, and if so to you of all men in this world?" he looked down at Amelia at studied her. "I too see the resemblance but the zealous Heavenly Father would never be so kind and grant you this. If anything it is his way of mockery. I say we respond to such by repelling her at once and-"

"That is enough, Yao." He retorted back and glared down at the slim man with golden eyes. "Mockery or not she will be going no where."

"Wait, what?" Amelia spoke up and looked between the two men before her. "I am apart of a bargain may I remind you." She prompted them in attempt of someway increasing her chances of escape.

The man dressed in long golden robes snapped his head at her annoyingly. "Is it not you who said the exchange was fruitless?" he ignored her glare and turned back to his Lord. "She may have her looks but I see no resemblance with milady's intelligence." He muttered.

"I heard that, asshole." She growled and the Lord's advisor grinned down at her.

"What vulgarity for a woman. Clearly one of no ranking, if what she was dressed in was any clue."

"I said that is enough." The white haired Lord turned on him and Yao nodded before moving to circle Amelia.

"What is it you wish to do with her then? I presume her current arrangements in the dungeon will not be to your fondness any longer." He paused when he got to the back of her and eyed the thick ropes around her ankles and wrist.

"I want her taken to the east tower." He commented and watched the young woman's face for some type of response.

Yao looked back up at him at that. "But those chambers haven't been used since-"

"I'm well aware of when they've last been used and by whom." He growled and Yao stilled in his movements before closing his eyes and bowing obediently.

"You also will be attending her during her stay. Keep her locked in her room until I give you reason otherwise."

"Yes my Lord." Yao stood straightly back up and looked down at the woman who seemed in a daze.

"If you'd stand milady-"

"Don't." she cut him off and he stared at her wide-eyed.

"I beg your pardon?"

Instead she ignored him and kept her focus on the tall man, staring up at him in frustration. She wanted to scream at him, kick him, punch him then shove him into a stream blessed by the Father of Light. She wanted to hate him, but she found she couldn't. After making eye contact with him a part of her wanted to weep. She wanted to cry out of anger, frustration, agony, and a certain something else but she couldn't pinpoint it. All she knew was that her heart hurt just staring into those cryptic violet colored eyes.

He too was staring down at her, his eyebrows knotted closely together like he was trying hard to process what she was thinking. He didn't look anger with her, just confused and that's what gave his features the frustrated expression. He had his hands folded behind his back while he stood tall with his spine straight and shoulders back; showing off how broad and powerful he was. Instead of arbitrating it as intimidating, Amelia found it very alluring.

"Why do stare at me with those eyes?" he asked steadily curious, turning his head slightly at his question.

Amelia didn't know how she was composing her eyes to appear so she didn't know how to answer his question. She just looked away and didn't say anything.

After she tore her eyes away from him for the first time she felt a wave of exhausted flow over her. Her head felt heavy on her shoulders as she tried lifted it back up. She was exhausted, like her head had worked too hard in such a short amount of time and was begging for slumber.

Not so sure that her legs would wore properly after being dragged and thrown around all day long, Amelia steadily raised herself up slowly, almost loosing balancing a couple at times in the process. She didn't even spare the Lord another glance before she turned on him and hopped in the direction of Yao who watched her questionably.

"If you follow me I'll lead you to your destined chambers as arranged." He motioned her towards the door and she hopped on past him without a single glance.

Yao looked back at his master for a moment in consideration but decided on keeping his thoughts kept and discuss them when it was just the two of them. He turned swiftly, his long gold trail following his fluid movements as he opened the door for Amelia and led her through. He knew the walk there would be tiring with her slow pace and difficultly on the many stairs. He would have to find a nearby servant to carry her for him though he knew she would protest. Once they arrived in her room he then would cut her bindings and have her freely move about, he just didn't just trust her just yet to do them now. He had a feeling she would make a run for it first chance she saw fit for an escape. He already knew she was going to be handful like she was many, many years ago.

The fair-haired Lord still stood in the same position he was in when the others still occupied the throne room. His eyes were trained on the spot where Amelia once knelt at his feet. He stood there in complete silence as his thoughts went wild with scenes of the past-of their past.

He closed his eyes and let a small smile slip onto his lips without him being able to resist. It was all too delectable and frustrating as it was thrilling. The lord couldn't resist any longer and startled chuckling softly to himself then louder as he let his head fall back with the waves of amusement. He stared up amusingly at the ceiling and smiled at something far past the stone and empty space.

"Is this a new game you've created to further torture me?" he grinned and parted his hands and swayed them out questionably. He searched the ceiling for the slightest hint that his words were being heard though he knew they already were. He was always listening. "Fine then. I accept the challenge you bestowed so courteously upon me." In the corner of his eye he saw a flame on a nearby candle flicker. He exhaled and dropped his hands back to his sides and gazed past the impenetrable wooden doors and imagined the woman walking down the halls.

"You could have at least made it fair and had her remember my name…" he muttered then turned and strode back to his silver throne that was once gold and sat upon it to pounder.

If the Heavenly Father wanted to play a game then he chose the wrong opponent. All knew that where there was darkness was brutality and where there was brutality was fatality.

"What a foolish God."