Death and Punishment

A well known wizard visits the Underworld seeking information.  

Gandalf "Lord of the Rings"

 

“Who is the old man?”  Zermon swatted a demon into his fire pit.  “He carries a staff.  I don’t like it.  Send him to Sweetheart.”  A large demon escorted him away from the throne room. 

Shevata sat at her desk in her office in hell; always comfortable but never at home.  The door opened and an old man was escorted inside. He wore a white robe and had long white hair and beard.  “Name?” She said, raising an eyebrow. 

He started to bow.  “That’s not necessary, you know where you are.”  Shevata put a large chest on her desk.  “Who are you?”

“I am Gandalf.”

She rummaged through the chest tossing scrolls all around her, then brought out an elaborate scroll, unopened.  “Please sit.”  He sat across from her in a chair.  He propped his staff on her desk.  The demon reached for it.  “Don’t touch it.” Shevata snapped.  “Leave us.”  She opened the scroll. 

“Gandalf the White, wizard, Mithra..whatever, of the world Middle Earth,  you left for undying lands.  Well, Gandalf, if you’re from such a place, what could you possibly want in Hell?”

“I’m told your name is Sweetheart?”  His eyes sparkled.

“My name is Shevata.  Zermon likes to bother me.”  She put the chest on the floor and kept his scroll in front of her.  “Most come here to me seeking something.  What do you seek?”

“I want to know if the foes of Middle Earth are here.”

“Why?”

“You’re right to ask.  I just worry about the land.”

Shevata read down the scroll.  “We knew Sauron.  Zermon despised him, called him a weakling and threw him out.  Afterwards we heard he put his soul into a slave ring that got destroyed.  What a fool!”  She smirked. 

Gandalf frowned. “Is Morgoth still contained?”  Shevata nodded.

“The vortex holding Morgoth is in the deeper realm with a Devil.  Zermon didn’t want him, and it’s hard to escape if you get trapped down there.  Once I had to get Zermon out of a stench bog down there and he still smells.”

“The creature Gollum, and Saruman?”

“Gollum never rose from Hell’s flames.  Not enough soul.  Saruman’s not here.”

“Where is he?”

Shevata shrugged.  “Nowhere.”

Gandalf sat back.  “What did you do?”

“I killed his soul.” 

He turned away as if sick.  He looked back at her with disgust.  “Who are you to take a soul?”

“We are the place of death and punishment.  Zermon didn’t want him here, the Devil that has Morgoth for sure wasn’t taking him, so my options were limited.”

They walked together to the door.  “I know we disgust you, but we don’t choose who comes here.  Tell me, how are the, uh..” she peeked in the scroll..”Hobbits?”

“They are well with us.”

“But are they the same?”

Gandalf extended his hand and they shook hands briefly.  He said, “Should you have a change of heart, seek us out.”  Shevata smiled as she watched him leave with his staff.

Zermon walked in from behind.  “What was that old guy?”

Shevata sighed.  “Another good power uncomfortable with death and punishment.  That’s the purpose we serve.” 

Zermon walked away saying, “I don’t know what everybody’s problem is. We just clean up the mess.”