The Sin's Virtue

"Aire will be here in about an hour."

I nodded, acknowledging the fact that someone is on her way to reach me when I desperately need something to happen in my favour. I heard Ignis groaning behind me followed by a sigh when I still refused to say anything else.

Its been a few hours since I went through that traumatic letter which is still shoved in my pant's pocket and I refuse to let go of it even though it almost feels like a burning wound in my skin. I did not even talk about it any further afraid that whoever is spying on me will know what I am up to.

I heard Ignis approaching me, her spicy scent reaching me before she came into my side vision and sat beside me. I kept staring at the luscious expanse of meadows which was her backyard, over the top but still breath taking in the moment.

I came here to clear my mind, to analyse what the heaven is going on but no amount of probable scenarios are coming to me. There is no way I am able to track down whoever is messing with me through these letters.

Mortem? Yes I suspect her but right now even her being a possibility seems like such a weak point that I am almost reconsidering my decision to call Aire for the help I was hoping she could lend me with. There is something that is not ready to fit quite yet.

I mean I am definitely missing something here which may be very much obvious or may be not. Either way I am omitting something very crucial and I don't have any idea what exactly that is. Its just my gut feeling that is providing me a base to acknowledge this possibility.

Amidst all this, a bigger picture is hidden, clouding my path. I just know it.

"Stop it." I turned to Ignis who was frowning at me. "Stop over thinking about it. We'll see when Aire is here. Till then just relax."

She was right but did it convince me?

Absolutely not.

In fact the last thing I want to do right now is relax. There are moments like these when I am actually really thankful for my immortality because having that ends the requirement of recharging body with rest every now and then but then again if I weren't an immortal maybe these worries would have never thrown my way. Fate must be having a really good humour out of all this circus around me.

I nodded anyways. Its better to agree than to argue my point with her.

"So what are you gonna do once, you know..." Ignis asked me the question I have been asking my self every few minutes.

"Once I find Death?" I completed for her. She nodded confirming it. "Well lets just say I am not planning any thing out loud."

"Shye," Ignis rolled her eyes at me. "Thats not the point. They want you to approach them so even if they know what you are up to? That just doesn't matter."

"Oh yeah? Doesn't it? What if its a trap? What if its all just a set up to lure me into some trouble that will have my head in front of the Sun?" I asked, frustrated. She needs to understand that I have to be steady and not just go with the flow that easily.

"Dramatic much." She clicked her tongue at me and I gritted my teeth looking away.

"Forget it." I said going back to my staring. "Let Aire come and we will see what we can do about it."

The wait was really long though. I don't remember how long I was sitting, out on the extended deck in the backyard when suddenly the atmosphere around us shifted from calm and stillness to light breeze kissing my skin gently. A fresh tangy aroma reached my nose, it was weak and very soft to inhale and I knew from the lightheadedness it left each time I exhaled that the element of Air was very near around the estate. On the cue a white almost transparent cloud started forming near the fountain in the meadows and not long after a shadow appeared out of it.

She was exactly how I remembered her from the last time we met. Tall and lean stature, pale skin, advancing confidently towards where Ignis and myself were. Her gaze found mine and I was pinned by their silvery softness that was glittering in the evening glare of the sunlight, shielded under the fringe of light blue hair. It was mesmerising to watch her eyes which were so magnificently carved that no one could look away once they meet them. She looked more like an elegant version of Ignis with yet another pixie style.

I stood up and smiled at her with gratitude that she came despite such a short notice on our part. She finally came and stood right in front of us. I didn't move as Ignis jumped ahead and hugged Aire. It took me by surprise when Aire returned it with equal amount of affection and was that a smile I saw on her otherwise blank face?

Wow change of attitude I suppose.

Or maybe she is more comfortable in sharing the space with elements only. Either way I was happy that she wasn't pissed about us calling her out of blue. They pulled back and she turned to me.

"Humility." She nodded and I passed a small smile her way.

"Aire." I greeted back. "I hope this wasn't a trouble for you?"

"Not at all." She shook her head. Precisely formal as she is always around us, the other members of the hierarchy. "So, what can I do for you?"

Ignis led us all to her office upstairs where we could discuss everything in comfort. I stayed quiet for sometime, while both the elements caught up with each other. It was almost a bitter sweet feeling to see them chat away with such an ease.

It made me even more desperate to find my sisters soon. I miss being with them. It feels like I am alienated here specially when I have always started my day with them and ended it by their side. I miss how easy the life felt around them like everything is right. They would always remind me that no matter what, in the end of the day it is going to be just fine and I hope that it does because I am keeping my crap together right now for them. All that is keeping me sane right now is the hope of meeting them in the end, to be able to hug each one of them, to release a sigh of relief when all of this is over.

To prove the Sins, that, I did not play any tricks.

I ignored the memory of all the Sins. One in particular.

Him?

Doesn't matter much anymore.

"Hello, Shye?" I jumped coming out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I asked Ignis who was frowning at me but I just shook my head.

"I was saying that I have a few things to attend to urgently. You can stay though, talk to her and figure it all out." She said getting up. What is so urgent all of a sudden?

"Sure." I replied coolly. I wouldn't admit that being alone in Aire's presence would make me uncomfortable beyond anything because saying that out loud would make it more real and not to mention awkward too. So I just agreed with the so called urgent arrangements. I know Ignis is doing this on purpose. That girl!

She was quick to leave us alone and vanished leaving behind a strong trace in my face to add the salt in already sour situation.

Okay now coming back to the task sitting right in front of me. Where do I start?

I turned my attention to the element in the room, sitting up straight, I cleared my throat to say something, but nothing came out of my mouth.

"You okay?" She asked patiently. I nodded. "Frankly you look very pale. You sure you are okay?"

Well, No. I am not but that just happens.

"No its okay. I am fine." I cleared my throat once again and willed myself to just get it over with. "First off, I really apologise for the informal call like this, I hope you understand that this is important."

A start with the polite voice is always the right one.

"I do. Ignis briefed me over the call. So I guess lets come straight to the matter?" She suggested matching my gentle approach and I nodded.

The sooner this is over, the better.

"Yeah. I need you to deliver a message to Death." I said on which she raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow at me in question.

"Death?" There was no surprise in her voice, not even a bit, just the curiosity of why someone would want to send a message to her, specially someone like me.

"Yes." I nodded. "Is it okay with you?"

I recalled what Ignis had said. Death is not easy to find but for Aire, being a messanger, that shouldn't be a tough call I suppose.

"Strangely yes." She cocked her head upwards as if recalling something and then looked at me. "What do you want to convey?"

I took out the neat envelope from my pocket and opened it once again to check if everything I had conveyed was enough to get her attention.

Death,

I humbly apologise for the inconvenience this may cause you but I was hoping if we could meet because I think you have the Virtues that belong in Santo.

I don't mean any offence, but we need to talk. Soon.

Humility.

I released the breath I was holding and folded the paper, popping it back inside the envelope. I looked at Aire who was patiently waiting for me to be done with it. I nervously handed her the letter and bit my lip, reconsidering it. I hope this does not turn out to be a wrong step because that may be just my last step.

Aire took it from me not looking even slightly affected by it. She tuned it over and traced her palm across the surface slowly and easily. When she retrieved her hand a seal had appeared, locking the flap in its place. I frowned, the seal was white and had me wondering if Aire delivered the letter in my office, the one that had the black seal.

It was also originally white right? At least thats what Envy had said.

"Can I ask you something?" Before I could stop myself the words had already slipped out of mouth and I mentally slapped myself for being such a blabbering idiot.

Aire looked up at me and motioned for me to continue.

"Did you deliver that letter to me in my office?" I asked. There was an expectation in my voice that was somehow hoping against the hope for her to agree because if it were her who delivered the letter then the whole fiasco will unravel itself right now in front of me, revealing who the heaven is actually behind all of this. Then I would not need this message to be delivered to Death.

Something shifted in her otherwise blank eyes and I braced myself for the answer that could or could not be in my favour and with the passing seconds the latter was becoming a more prominent possibility.

I had a feeling that she knew something and yet was staying very, very silent about it.

"Yes." She simply replied like it wasn't a big deal but it still enlightened a spark of hint inside me. She knows who sent it and she can help me. She stood up suddenly making me jump as I followed her action. I did not want her to go just yet. My eyes snapped to her shoes which were starting to fade away in the mist forming around them and I looked at her urgently.

"Then tell me who sent it. Please?"

She turned to me noticing how desperate I was for the answer but her calmness and stoic face did not change. As if nothing could ever change that. The mist reached her waist and climbed up slowly as she kept staring at me and before it could swallow her completely,

"Don't take the leaps, Humility. It never helps."

And she was gone.

So just for fun, I was wondering if you can come up with some aesthetics for the characters you like.

All you gotta do is choose a character you like so far, and dedicate a quote or an aesthetic to them and if I like it I'll publish it in coming chapters.

While you are at it, like, comment, review and follow for more.

xo

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