The Sin's Virtue

I got out of my car making my way to the guy who was interrupting my motive without a care in the world.

I frowned when I came to stand in front him. He looks too entertained for my liking. I watched him warily. His shock of electric blue hair messy as usual, blue eyes penetrating me for the reason of my sudden fascination for visiting Impío. He stood taller than me, hands tucked neatly behind his back. His head slightly tilted to side. The twisted mirth was evident in his smirk.

“Río.” I acknowledged his presence even though I wanted nothing more than just to drive past him and get going.

“Humility.” He nodded back. “Where do you think you were going?”

The Sin Villa.

“I would love this chat but maybe some other day. I am in no position to waste time.” I said as politely as I could.

“Ah missing our dear Sins?” He asked grinning, thoroughly enjoying my misery. It was in a split second when his obvious entertainment shifted into a frown and then his face went blank.

What was that?

“Listen we can’t stand here. Not with you being a Virtue anyways. Come.” He said in a stern tone. Wow, change of mood. I folded my hands across my chest and shook my head. I can’t do that. I have a place to be at.

He sighed and in a swift moment caught my wrist. Before I could protest, everything around us disappeared in vortex of colour. I felt a force shoving me through a narrow space and pushing me to get out on the other side to wherever Río was taking me. It was not long before I felt the ground beneath me appearing again as I fell gracefully on the plush carpet covering the marble floor.

I heard Río chuckling but I was too disoriented from the apparition he pulled on me to tell him off. I stood up brushing myself and looked around.

The dome shaped ceiling high above me, the fanciest furnishing I witness every few months were familiar to me.

I have been here. We were in Río’s estate.

“Why did you bring me here Río?” I asked urgently, I have to leave. I am running out of time.

“Have a seat.” He waved me to the large set of sofas in the middle of the hall. I sighed and nodded. I know what was coming. “Why were you there?”

Why was I there? I bit my tongue from keeping my tone from sarcasm threatening to flow out and looked away when he sat opposite to me.

“I have to meet the Sins.” I said looking down.

“If I may ask, Why?” He asked, his tone gleeful at the obvious embarrassment of mine. Why was I embarrassed? I did nothing wrong, except maybe breaking a few rules here and there. “You could have come here.”

I stood up and paced around unable to sit down with all the worries for my sisters. I could have come here but that would have meant a delay with all the formalities to approach Sins. The procedure would have been undeniably tiresome. I ran my hands through my hair out of frustration.

“Are yo-”

“The Virtues are missing.” I cut him off. And turned to finally face him. He sat there expression less. “Somebody kidnapped them.” I said.

“You are here.” He said like me being here and not kidnapped along with others as well proved me as a liar.

“I didn’t want to be here either.” I said but he completely ignored my jab.

“I didn’t feel the balance shifting.” Río said as a matter of fact.

“Because I didn’t let it shift.” Is he for real? He gave me a look that clearly said he didn’t believe me but soon the realisation dawned on him and the lack of his expression turned into a wide eyed look.

“You used the mark of Virtue.” He said astounded. I nodded thankful that he was being serious now.

“When did it happen? Does anyone know?” He asked standing up as well, worry evident in his voice.

“Yesterday. Nobody knows in the Santo aside from my staff. They are keeping it low. We don’t want to disrupt the public.” I said.

“And you thought it was a Sin?” He asked and I shook my head. He frowned.

“A Sin looks right to be blamed here but I know its not them. Whoever took my sisters used magic, the one I couldn’t trace. I knew nothing about it. Whereas I can identify the Sins in a heartbeat.” I said rationally and not letting any prejudices lure my thoughts away.

“Then why did you want to meet them?” He asked.

“To ask for help.” I replied. “I am meeting their effect individually. The balance feels heavy on my nerves. I could do with them slacking off for now.”

It was a hope, I hoped for. I wanted to meet them, to explain the situation so they would tune down their effects. The balance right now is burdening my senses, I feel like I would crush down. Even standing feels like a job too hard to take. If Sins could pacify themselves for the time being, I would be nothing but eternally grateful for it.

“You are foolish to think they would bargain. You barging in their state like that could have led to some trouble you wouldn’t want to get in.” He was true there. But as I said I didn’t have time for it. “They would have sensed you sooner than you think. If not already.”

“If you are done lecturing me, I would appreciate if we looked for a solution than discussing what could have happened.” I muttered. He shook his head.

“Sit.” He ordered. I did thankful. Standing was tiring me. “How long do you have?” He asked indicating the time lent to me by the mark.

“A month.” I told him. He nodded his head distracted by some thoughts.

“Why did you use the powers of mark just yet?” He asked resuming to take his former seat.

“Because it was just me left in Santo. If I had left for finding the rest without anything done, it would have weaken the state. I was already feeling the atmosphere shifting slightly. The mortals would have suffered undoubtedly.” I said.

“Are you sure its not a Sin?” He asked. I nodded.

At least thats what I am hoping for. That is what keeping me from going insane.

“What about the powers of your sisters?” He asked. This feels like an interview I don’t want to have now.

“Whoever took them, definitely deflated their powers because I felt myself fighting hard to keep up the balance. That is why using the mark was my last resort.” I told him.

“That makes sense.” He mused. I nodded tightly. Río got up and exited the room without another word said. I frowned sitting up straight.

Was I meant to follow him?

Where did he go?

After waiting for ten minutes, I was about to get up when Río walked in again himself, this time holding a book with him.

It looked old. Very old infact. The cover had something embedded on it but I couldn’t decipher what it meant. It looked like some sort of mark but none that I had ever seen.

This time, Río sat beside me laying the book on the glass table infront of us. He opened it and kept turning through pages, after a while settling on some article written in ancient language. He read it for what felt like hours before finally speaking.

“Why don’t you ask the Sins to help you in search?” He said finally looking at me. I blinked at him.

Is he kidding me?

What did that article say? To refer to the Sins for help? Is that all written in those heavy words?

I got up ready to leave without any further delays.

I should have just left while he was gone. Does he think this book will help me in convincing to shake hands with the Sins?

He couldn’t be more wrong.

The sun will be ashamed of me.

“Trust me, you don’t want to leave Humility.” Río said. I stopped looking at him. He had that serious look pulled on his face. I raised my brow at him.

“And why may I know?” I asked softly.

“Using mark for holding up the balance may work for now, but it will have you ruined in no time.” He said closing the book and lazily getting up.

“I know that already. I have to get back before it turns fatal and that is why I was in hurry, in case you didn’t notice yet.” He shook his head like I was missing something. I frowned. “What is it?”

“The mark of Virtue had the store of powers in the stone, didn’t it?” Río asked. I nodded. “And the stone fell when you used it.” I nodded again.

Where was he going with this?

“The stone was removed from the mark of Sin when Virtues were created to pacify them. Their powers were reduced and stored in the the stone which was guarded by the mark of Virtue. If it falls, that means it will start appearing where it first was.” Río said solemnly. It starting settling on me.

“The mark of Sin is incomplete right now and if the stone appears completely there, it will restore the powers of Sins, such you can’t fathom.”

The gravity of the situations shot up my spine. “You are standing one against seven, having powers for now may work, you may handle the balance but the balance will tip eventually towards the Sins. Making them ruthless.”

Ruthless.

“But the stone floats back to the the position it occupies between the mark of Virtue.” I said to which Río nodded.

“True. And it will before vanishing to appear in the mark of Sin’s. Completing them.” He said looking at my horrifying look. “You have to convince them to help you otherwise, destruction is inevitable.”

I felt the ground slipping from under me while I stood gaping at him.

“But they will never help me.” I said my voice choking. “Either way the balance will tip!”

“If you don’t trace back the process on time. Yes.” He said as a matter of fact.

I was going to say something when suddenly we heard noises of many rushed steps in our direction. I looked at Río in question but he only frowned shrugging loosely.

I jumped at the burst of sound when the large door which separated the hall from the foyer outside opened with a bang. The noises of many feet ceased all together. When I turned to look at the source of all the commotion, my heart stopped when my eyes landed on him.

I looked into the set of deep purple, velvety eyes staring back at me. It felt like seeing a mirror. His orbs which matched mine were swirling with an aura enough to scare the heaven out of me.

Its not the first time I have seen them but it felt like I never tried to notice the sinister emotion he carried all along. The emotion which contradicted mine.

His violet stare was glowing with the accusation.

He came in, walking with the arrogance he was best known for. The one, that highlighted his existence, the one I had lenified for so long.

“Good gracious, the counterparts are here.” Río said from behind me. It was his futile action to calm the obvious tension in the air.

“You were in Impío.” He said coming to stand directly in front of me. His intoxicating smell filling my nostrils with his sinister being. He ignored Río completely.

“Yes.” I said, standing my ground. He narrowed his eyes, a blood curling smirk erupting on his lips.

And suddenly I was very, very aware about the Sin of Pride looking down at me.

-*-

Okay guys I was wondering if you want me to post a different part about the details of characters and other stuff?

vote & comment

-Lia