Sinful Pride - Volume 1 Chapter 28 The Ones Who Decide

In a dark room, location unknown, ten shadowy figures have gathered. They were sitting around a round wooden table. Everyone was silent.

“One of my Heroes to be have been killed.” a woman’s voice broke the silence. Her figure seemed human but her eyes shone in an unnatural white light.

“You can’t be serious!” a male’s voice was heard. The shadows hid his race but he seemed humanoid. His eyes did not shine, but there was a black smoke like substance coming out of them. “Since when do we give a shit about your heroes?” he continued, openly showing his hostility.

“If that’s all you wanted, I am going back. You two can settle this on your own.” a woman said. She had one blue and one red eye.

“Ahh, I see. My little Sin killed your baby hero is that it?” the man with the shadowy eyes said in a ridiculing voice. “And? What are you going to do about it? Wanna go Alcione?”

“He was killed by a human.” Alcione announced.

Laughter followed. Some where even banging their fists on the table. They were after all beings that took placer in each other’s misfortune.

“You can’t even keep tabs on your pets?” the man with the shadowy eyes ridiculed her further.

“Enough!” the voice of an elderly man shook the table. “You wouldn’t call us here if that was all. Speak Alcione.” he commanded.

“The one who killed him is an irregular. I believe the prophesy has started.” Alcione said after taking a deep breath. She was prepared to be humiliated when she called the other gods but this was a matter that she could not keep secret. It was a threat to everyone, including gods and members of the races alike.

“Wasn’t he just a shapesifter or something?” one of the others gods scoffed. His long ears betrayed his race. His eyes shone a deep blue light that pierced the woman with the different colored eyes.

“Don’t look at me!” she complained. “I have enough troubles with the Ratmen to care about human Heroes.”

“You brought this plague upon yourself.” a voice belonging to a male. His eyes shined gold and him humongous body belonged to that of an Orc. Who could he be but Morgur, the Orc god.

“I know already!” the woman responded in a irritated voice. “I am taking care of them so keep your mouth shut about Ratmen already!” she said, pointing at Morgur.

“I am bringing it up because you are failing.” Morgur responded calm as ever. “My Orcs had to fight Ratmen the a few weeks ago. You obviously can’t handle this task.”

“Well it’s fine isn’t it? Your Orcs love to fight anyway.” the man with the shadowy eyes remarked in a playful voice.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been up to!” Morgur finally lost his calm demeanor and shouted at the man. “Because of that stupid woman I lost two Orc chieftains! They had a lot of potential damn it!”

“I know, sorry.” the man bowed his head. “I’ll make it up to you next time, alright? Besides, that young one seems promising! Revenge is a good motivator. Did you see his eyes when the other Orc was beheaded? I got chills man! Chills!” he said as he hugged himself.

The other gods cursed him inside their heads. That was the reason they could never get along with him. He did things like bow his head to other gods like it was nothing but he never looked sincere. He was a black sheep among the gods. Ateer, the god of Demons. He always was up to something and not even one of the gods could see through him. Alcione hated him for his dishonesty and shamelessness more than anyone. They’ve always been on bad terms.

“Who was that kid that did the beheading Alcione? I wasn’t looking the whole time but it seemed he even danced with Wrath. A Hero?” he asked turning to Alcione. That was an insult in it’s own way. All of the gods, especially Ateer knew that there hasn’t been a human Hero in decades.

“I should ask you!” Alcione got up from her sit and slammed her hands to the table. “He is the irregular!”

“How should I know who your human irregular is? Besides, I had nothing to do with the whole thing. I leave my Sins to do as the want. I am innocent! The fact that you even suspect me is insulting” Ateer complained.

Everyone knew of course he was faking. It was true he let his Demons do as they wished. After all there were no temples or devout believers for him to communicate with. But when something unexpected happened, the gods knew that nine out of ten times it was his doing.

“Then how do you explain his magic power?” Alcione was frustrated. She hasn’t taken her sit and was leaning at the table, pointing at Ateer.

“Magic power?” Ateer repeated, showing his confusion.

“He has a Demon’s magic power.” Morgur responded in Alcione’s place. He saw the fight between Keita and Wrath and he also had a lot of questions.

There was silence in the room. Everyone’s eyes were glued to Ateer who was silent. He had his hand on his chin, deep in thought.

“Show me.” he finally said.

Alcione made a few gestures and an image appeared in the middle of the table. It was Keita, fighting against Wrath.

“There you see?” Alcione pointed at Keita who was surrounded with black magic power. “I’m telling you, it’s his doing!” she said to the other gods.

“Pride?” Ateer muttered.

“Did you say something?” Morgur, who was sited next to him, asked.

“No, never mind. It’s nothing.” Ateer responded, hiding his mouth with his hand.

‘Pride, to think you were the irregular…’ he thought while trying to contain his laughter. ‘This will finally get interesting.’

“He seems more like a hybrid to be honest.” one of the gods said and everyone turned their eyes to the woman with the different colored eyes.

“What, me again?” she complained in a scared voice. “I didn’t do it!” she said. “Besides, he isn’t a hybrid.” she said as she leaned to take a closer look. “As I see it, he will either end up as a Demon or a Human. There is no middle ground. With a few touches he could be interesting as a test subject but he can never be both.”

“I know him.” a man’s voice said. He seemed humanoid and in contrast to the other gods, his eyes did not a particular trait. He had his legs on top of the table and he wasn’t even looking at the projection. “He is Pride of the Seven Deadly Sins.” he said.

“What do you mean? They look nothing alike.” Alcione remarked. Her disgust for the man was apparent in her voice.

“Not him.” the man scoffed and continued in a confident voice. “The original one. I will never forget that fighting style. Don’t you agree old man?”

The room trembled. All the other gods released their magic power which made cracks at the table. They looked at the man who last spoke with blood-l.u.s.t filled eyes.

“You dare?” Morgur was the first to speak.

“You are not even a real god, show respect!” Alcione shouted.

Only Ateer and the old god didn’t show any hostility. Ateer even cheered.

“Go, go! Do it! We haven’t had a real fight in centuries!” he said.

“Enough!” the old god shouted and the others sat back at their chairs like trained puppies. “Are you saying this is that accursed Demon?” he asked the man who was smiling.

“That’s him, no doubt about it. I never forget the interesting ones. But you should know better old man. Didn’t he crush your favorite pet?” he said.

Once again all the Demons got up from their sits but before they could do anything, they heard the sound of cracking.

“I see, that bastard is back!” the old god said with a sinister smile. His clenched fist has broken the table. “The one who took Welzour’s eye is back!” he rejoiced. “This time, I will kill myself.”

“I can’t let that comment slide Ogath.” Ateer said. “Irregular or nor, you can’t intervene directly. You are the one who made that rule.” he continued.

“Are we to stand here while the prophesy is fulfilled then? Do you know what that will mean for us?” the woman with the different eye colors said.

“I’m with Ateer. We do not intervene. How many times has it been that I wanted to steer things up and you all m.o.a.ned about rules? Now that it’s finally getting interesting you want to break the rules that you made?” the man said, taking his legs off the table that collapsed.

“You do not get a say in this War god.” Alcione said with interference. “You should be thankful we even invited you. You are not even a real god.”

“There you go again.” the man said. “You know if you didn’t have a stick up your ass all the time I might even have fall for you.” he looked towards Alcione with a mocking smile. Before she could retort, he continued. “Besides, do I have to remind you how all of you became gods?”

There was silence in the room. No one dared speak.

“Well, let him do as he wants for now. If he gets too close to the prophesy we can always stop it there.” the old god said.

“There is something else…” Alcione said unwillingly. Her gaze met the War god’s for a second before returning to the others. “He walks the Heaven’s Path…”

“Ha! Hahah!” the War god laughed his heart out. “No wonder you want him dead Alcione! How many is that? Two or three? I can’t remember!”

“That clan of sinners!” Morgur tried to hide his wrath to no avail.

“Hoh?” the War god got up from his sit and walked towards Morgur. “Want to repeat that?” he said, looking down on the Orc god. The room trembled from the magic power. The War god drew his sword and muttered something. A brilliant white light enveloped it. The light was blinding. It radiated heat that started a fire as he grazed the ground with his blade. Morgur and the other gods were frozen in their sits.

“Enough!” the old god said, getting up himself. “We will leave the kid as he is for now. We have another matter that we have to resolve. War god, go back to your sit!” he shouted.

The War stared Morgur. His expression said that he was not satisfied with just this. The light retreated from his blade and he put it back inside the scabbard, making a few tricks in the process. He retreated back to his sit with no more words.

“Who resurrected him?” the old god said.

The other gods finally realized. How was Pride who was killed 200 years ago still alive?

Once again everyone fell silent. They looked at each other with suspicious eyes but no one opened their mouth.

“What?” The old god said in disbelief. “I command you! Whoever resurrected him, admit it now!” he shouted.

The gods looked at each other again. The eyes full of suspicion turned to ones of terror.

“My command isn’t working?” the old god said as he started at his own hand. A drop of sweat was falling from his forehead.

“No, it’s still working.” Ateer said. “That means…”

“It’s not one of us…” Alcione finished. “Then who?”

“Isn’t it Ateer’s princess?” another god asked.

“No, she isn’t even close to that level yet.” he said. “And don’t call her a princess! She is the Demon Lord.” he complained.

“Then who?” Morgur asked. His voice was lower than before. This prideful god has felt fear for the first time in a millennia.

“Good thing I came. This is the best thing that happened since I became a god!” the War god said, wearing a large smile.