Sprawled on the floor of the cellar was a large pentacle drawn in red candle-wax. On every corner there was iconography of some kind, ranging from animal skulls to raven feathers. Standing on the end of one point of the pentacle was Levi Hawthorne, muttering incantations while his sacrifice was making ready. Getting to hell wasn’t really a problem after all of Levi’s deeds in life Heaven would never except him. Getting back in one piece was more problematic and therefore he needed an open portal.  The ritual had been performed by Levi so many times now that he didn’t need his full attention for the incantations and so his mind wandered.
 
Were these incantations really necessary? And if not, what parts where? The sacrifice most certainly was ri-

Was the sacrifice humming? She was just around the corner, a beautiful maiden of only 21 summers old. A waste really, but she had entered the bond willingly. As far as these sort of things go willingly at least. She turned the corner in a robe, elegant and bare-foot. Levi kept muttering the incantations but gave her a smile and gestured her towards the centre of the pentacle. Her timing was perfect for he was almost done with the incantation she was humming along with. Speaking the last words he gestured her to turn around and lose the robe, which she did unquestioningly with pupils wide from the concoction of drugs he had given her.
It was almost too easy Levi found, as he flicked his wrist to summon the stiletto hidden in his sleeve to his hand. A swift step and drawing movement at her throat send blood flying on the floor.

“Sorry child. If it only could’ve been another way.”

Levi said, as he quickly retreated, avoiding the blood deftly. With a flourish he took off the ceremonial robes (he didn’t know why he had bothered) and used them to wipe the blood of the blade. Simultaneously he walked towards the wall to pick up a briefcase he had left there. When he turned back again his sacrifice’s’ body was suspended in mid-air, the blood pooled in the pentacle; held there by the elevation of the wax lines, was glowing now as a soul purposed for heaven was forcibly taken to hell. 

“Off to work we are then.”

Without hesitation Levi stepped into the pentacle. The blood that had filled it up was almost black in the light of the cellar and his feet never touched it, for Levi fell right through what now seemed to be a hole in the ground.
Levi landed on the doorstep of the Halls of Virgo. He was getting better at this stuff, but the joy of that was drowned out by his strong dislike of the place. As a magician he liked a bit of misguidance on stage, but this was behind the curtains, unnecessarily complicating matters. He had an appointment to make however and so he purposefully set about the maze. 
As Levi set foot in the middle room he looked around to see most already assembled.
Goddamn, late…

Nevertheless he continued his way to present himself to Virgo, giving a curt bow before saying:

“Master Virgo, A pleasure. I am Levi Hawthorne, loyal servant. My sincerest apologies for the tardiness, the intrinsic problem with meeting in a maze I’m afraid.”


An apologetic smile perked on his ugly face as he retreated to blend in with the others.