The Sin's Virtue

I came back in my room after everyone left. As I stepped in the familiarity of the walls, I couldn’t help but slide down the door I just shut behind me. I brought my knees upto my chest and rested my head on them.

This feels cold. Very, very cold.

My thoughts drifted back to the plans I formulated. I know how ridiculous this would be already. I am not even sure if I will be able to pull it off but this is required. Now, more than ever.

I stood up, wiping my clammy hand on my pants and made my way to the closet. I took out a few pairs of shirts and pants and threw them in a duffel bag I had already out of the storage. I completed the packing within ten minutes and kept the bag aside for morning.

I came out of the closet and went out of the room, in the lounge.

I am nervous. I have never done what I am going to do now. I just have to be very careful about it.

When I got to know that my sisters were missing, the first thing that crossed my mind was the Sins.

Right now, they are seven and complete. Where as there is only me, left here. This can be fatal but I have to do it any how.

I took the stairs that line the corner of the lounge to the terrace upstairs. Once I reached there, I came to stand in front of the sculpted mark of Virtue.

Its ancient.

The swirling arms moving out in different directions from the centred stone floating mid air between them. My eyes zeroed in on it.

The store of powers.

I took in a deep breath.

You can do this Shye.

I washed my hands in the holy water around the sculptor and wiped them dry.

I looked at the sky, up at whoever was seeing me. Forgive me for this.

I started tracing my fingers in the direction on swirling arms of the mark, chanting the aesthetics of Virtues.

My fingers started to feel the slight sting at the contact which was foreseen. The arms of the mark started to glow, emitting bright light which almost blinded my vision. My fingers were about to bleed from the burns the hot glowing surface was leaving at my skin but I continued to trace it in a repeated fashion, chanting along. It felt like hours, I wasn’t sure if it was working.

I closed my eyes, to stop the blinding glare of light from entering my eyes.

Just when I was about to pull away from the unbearable pain of contact, I caught a glimpse of stone flashing in the middle of hallowed mark.

I quickened my chanting at the slight motivation. The pain was agonising but I didn’t budge.

I can do this. I have to do this.

I have never done this so I didn’t think of the measure which were bound with it. In a quick motion a hard force pushed me and threw me back on the floor like a tiny rock tossed around.

The force had me hit my head straight on the floor. All I could see was stars that danced around my vision with blackened spot. I didn’t take time to check myself and stood up hastily with my body protesting in the pain.

I turned around towards the mark which was now completely flashing in different colours. I had to shield my sight from it for as long as I stood there waiting for it to happen. And it did.

I saw the stone falling and my own mark at the nape of my neck burning from all the power it was being forced with.

I had to let out the scream, which was threatening to tear through my throat but I refrained. My eyes were leaking with the tears. It was the pain of power. The pain of excess. The pain my body had to bear when it was being shoved with the powers it couldn’t house.

It was swift, completed in a moment but the moment itself felt like a million years long.

When it was done, I dropped to the floor, panting, my breathing audible to my own ears . There was no noise except for my harsh need for air.

When I felt a bit fine, I stood up, very much aware about my senses which were highly sharpened. It was nerve breaking, how I could see such details around me, how I could hear what someone was saying miles away, how my brain started processing everything much faster than it normally does and how I have powers, equal to the seven Virtues now.

My mark still burned from the impact but I ignored it nearing the water around the sculptor which had no stone anymore floating between the arms. I looked down in the water and saw it floating on surface.

I can not touch it. It will keep floating like this until I repeat the process to get it back in its original position. And I have a month till then.

A month to find the Virtues.

I didn’t waste time when I saw the sky lightning a little bit. The process took more time than I thought it would.

I ran my way downstairs, to my room. I changed into the fresh set of clothes. Wearing a white plain shirt and dark jeans, I kept it simple but presentable. I pulled my long hair into a side braid and put on shoes before grabbing my packed bag and heading out.

I stopped once I landed on ground floor and Blissie came running to me.

“Ma’am.” She greeted taking my bag from me. I nodded smiling slightly.

“Is everything ready?” I asked. My throat felt dry so I cleared it.

“Yes. The jet awaits at the airport and..” She trailed of. I raised my brow expectantly.

“Yes?” I asked.

“And you didn’t have dinner last night. Can I make you something?” She asked looking concern. I sighed. I don’t know if I could keep the food down in my system. My body is sore. My nerves are churning in a sick way and my head still hurts from the impact it hit on the floor.

But I couldn’t turn her generous offer down. So I nodded.

“A toaster would be good. Thank you.” I said and she smiled, taking off to fix me something. Honestly food isn’t much of a need for immortals but still its good to eat.

After I was done with the early breakfast, I left in the car waiting for me to take me to the airport. After all the formalities, which were comparatively less for me, being a Virtue, I was taken to the jet parked at the runway, waiting for me. I found my team near the jet. I got out of the car and walked upto them.

“Good morning.” I greeted once I reached to them. There were chorus of greetings.

“You look sick Shye.” Fel said as a matter of fact. You bet I am sick Fel.

“I am fine. Better get going.” I said in an assuring tone. They all nodded. “I will see you all soon. Take care.”

“Stay safe. From the Sins.” Kace said winking. I rolled my eyes. I waved at them and climbed the stair of the jet. Both the pilots nodded at me smiling and asked me to take a seat wherever I would like and fasten up. So I did. I took one near the window.

It was a small jet yet fancy all at the same time. I remember when these airports were built first and the uproar it caused in Santo. I chuckled slightly at the memory.

Virtus were stunned and failed to understand the advantages it could bring to their lives. They no more required to travel for day or a two in the trains and it was a struggle for them. As I said, people here are slightly wary about the changes. Not comfortable with the idea of radical variation but small step at a time.

It took time but they came around.

The pilot announced the take off and I sat back comfortably in the plush of the recliner. The plane started to move slowly in the direction of runway and with a few moments gone, it gained the momentum it needed to come up to the speed for taking off. I gripped the armrest tightly when it came into the air , my senses flying with it as well.

“We are 35,000 ft above the ground. You can now take off your seatbelts and move around. Enjoy your flight.” One of the pilots said via speakers after a few minutes. I know I will do anything but enjoy this flight.

As I sat looking out of the window, my gaze focused in and out through the clouds floating around noticing small details which I wouldn’t have if I was my normal self. If I was just Humility, the only Virtue I am meant to be.

Right now, I have powers equivalent to all the seven Virtues that me and my sisters share together. That means, I am keeping up the balance alone against the seven Sins. In fact this way nobody in the Santo will realise that six of the Virtues are missing. At least not for a month that I have with me.

It was the only thing I could do to not let the mess get out of my hands. Whoever kidnapped my sisters didn’t think that I will use the mark to shoulder the balance singly. They clearly wanted the balance to dip in the favour of Sins.

This only worsens the situation. I don’t know who used the magic within the walls of castle. If its a Sin or not, I don’t know. But my nerves tell me that this will only get severe.

I am not safe either. If I don’t return on time to trace the process back, the stone will float back to its original place itself. It will dilate the powers concentrated in me in a way I don’t want to think about. Only, that it will be utterly fatal. I could be dead. Virtues for now, are safe. Whoever took them, will do nothing but be confuse because by now their will be no powers left with my sisters.

Within a few hours my private jet landed in a city sharing the banks with Reveria, the river dividing Diverso-Terra in almost equal halves. The upper half is ruled by the Sins while Virtues rule the lower half.

Río’s estate is exactly in the middle of the river and also at the centre of the Diverso-Terra.

Río is an element. Element of water. He is not only an element but also the one which keeps Sins and Virtues apart because believe me we need that.

After an incident in the past which almost turned into a war between the two states, Río was given with the responsibility to keep us from each other. If one needs to share information, Río has to be an intermediary but right now I can’t afford to waste my time on that. It will take too much of my time. So I decided to dodge that.

One of the representative in the city received me at the airport and I thanked him for the car he had arranged for me.

I took it from him, kept the bag in trunk and got in behind the steering pulling out the SUV from the lot and onto the road. I crossed the city and pulled on the bridge that connects the shore to the Río’s estate and beyond that on the other side to the Impío.

I have never gone there and don’t want to either but this is not my willing choice.

Soon the long bridge ended bringing in Río estate in my view. The beautiful mansion stood proud atop the Reveria. Río is the one to hold all the balls and meetings effectively being in the centre of everything. I zoomed past his place and took off in the direction of Impío.

I was highly alert when I touched the shoreline and my eyes found the board of directions. The Sin Villa was mentioned first in the long list of places.

Five hours drive towards north. Got it.

I was about to race the SUV in the said direction but suddenly my foot found the brakes, before I could run my car over the person who thought it was a brilliant idea to jump in front of my car. The tires screeched in protest and I jerked forward a little when it came to stop. Just in time.

I didn’t expect him to be here.

How come he is here?

“In a hurry, Humility?” He was giving me an amused grin.

Great! We have an intruder.