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Klavier sat down, absentmindedly strumming his guitar. He was working on writing a song, a song he hoped would be able to heal the world. Things were rather hard right now. Spring hadn't come in over a decade. The world switched from bitter heat to frigid cold, preventing crops from growing. Klavier hoped his song could help bring the world back in tune, the way things were before. It may be foolish to think a song could do that, but Klavier was nothing if not an optimist.
As he sat there, humming to himself, he heard someone shout his name. He turned toward the sound, and saw Apollo's sister, Trucy, running at him.
"Ah, fräulein! How are things going?"
Trucy hesitated for a moment, which was enough to signal to him that something wasn't right.
"What's wrong, fräulein?"
"...Apollo's gone," she whispered.
"What?"
"He sold his life to the king of the underworld. He went to Hadestown."
No. No, no no, no. Apollo couldn't have done this. He can't be gone forever, not when their lives had only begun…
"I tried to stop him, but it was too late. I-I don't know what to do-" Trucy started to break into a sob.
"Hey, hey, shhh," Klavier pulled Trucy into a hug, trying to comfort her. "We'll find a way to bring him back."
The girl clad in blue looked at him despairingly. "No one who goes there ever comes back."
"Well, I suppose I'll have to be the first."
Klavier stood up, determination in his eyes.
A glimmer of hope flickered across Trucy's face, before she hugged him.
"Please stay safe."
"I'll certainly try," Klavier said, rather nonchalantly for a man planning to walk to the realm of the dead and back. He patted her on the top of her hat, and then set off.
"I'm coming, schatzi."
Klavier was nothing if not an optimist.
~~~*~~~
Everything around Apollo was dark and silent.
Thousands, no, millions of shades milled about him, focused on their own mundane tasks. Apollo tried to shout to them, but it was as if the sound didn't exist.
As if he didn't exist.
He tried to cling to his memories, but details kept slipping away. He remembered a man who glowed like the sun, who was determined to see good in everything. He remembered a melody, and how it felt when the man said his name-what was it again?
The shade shrugged. If he didn't remember, it must not be that important.
~~~*~~~
Klavier looked at the iron gates of the realm of the dead. He took a shaky breath, then another, and went inside.
The Queen sat on a golden throne, and beside her was Mia, her wife, looking forlornly at their kingdom. The Queen acknowledged him. "Why have you come here, mortal?"
"I've come to save my husband, Apollo Justice."
The Queen scoffed. "Those who enter my domain cannot return. If I allowed such a thing, no souls would be in my realm."
Mia spoke up. "Can't you make an exception? The man was barely able to live his life."
"I cannot, Mia. The laws that bind our land cannot be bent."
Klavier didn't know what to do, so he sang. He sang a melody of love and loss, and every creature in the realm stopped what they were doing to listen.
Lana no longer felt like a queen, but like a woman in love. She held out her hand to Mia. "May I have this dance?"
Mia accepted. "I thought you'd never ask."
~~~*~~~
That song...
That voice...
Apollo remembered. He remembered, and ran towards the sound, towards Klavier.
The song stopped once Klavier saw him. He looked utterly shocked for a moment. Once that faded, he pulled Apollo into an embrace and kissed him. "Mein Gott, I missed you."
"I did, too. Ready to go home?"
Klavier looked towards Lana for approval. She nodded. "Yes."
The two walked together, hand in hand towards the sunrise. They reached the land together, bathed in the light of the sun.
They shone just as bright.