Chapter 6

Seven Deadly Sins

wrath,

greed,

sloth,

pride,

lust,

envy,

and gluttony.

Vyrvania

The morning was as dark and dreary as the night, the sun did not shine with the radiance of the normal one, this place was one for the immortal, and I was a human. Caedeon had warned me that this place was not for me, and yet I had still hoped to be able to follow him anywhere.

He seemed odd when I looked at him, his brilliant blue grey eyes were stained with sorrow and the silver rings that bled into his pupil were dulled the common grey of steel; the blue restless as a sea in a storm. I dare not ask why, for fear of his wrath, but I looked on in pity as we walked.

He had disappeared in a rage last night and had come back with an expression of cold and malice before lying down and taking to slumber. I stayed up, wondering what could have caused it, for his reactions are normally precise and controlled. He was never so angry before. I rolled in my sleep and woke more restless than when I had gone to bed.

He now sulked around, walking with slumped shoulders and a look of utter defeat and confusion. I wanted to comfort him, but somehow that seemed like a bad idea. Procel walked beside me, calmly glancing at Caedeon now and again, I was curious as to what she knew, but I was certain she would not tell me. She was a listener of secrets, and I doubt she would spill them to one such as I. yet still; I wondered and thought it possible that she might tell me after all.

"Curiosity is a sin my dear." She says suddenly, tilting her head down to stare at me with a fevered glance. I sputtered for a moment before bowing slightly.

"Then I apologize, for my curiosity is great." She simply laughed and smiled with her mad grin. She leaned close to my face with a finger on her lips.

"He saw your father last night, poor Abbadon's upset. Your daddy is a trickster he is, he is! Cast a tiny spell in Abbadon's confusion, now he's wrapped around his little finger; I know you can break it. This curse is made of old magic, it is, but yours is powerful, enough to bring the downfall of Heaven, my dear." She laughed manically. Abruptly, she whimpered and was yanked forcefully away from me. Caedeon stood behind her, fingers overlapping as they gripped her arm tightly. A look of fury crossed his face and for a moment, Procel looked afraid.

"Don't hurt her," I pleaded, my lips letting the words escape before they had run across my mind. I closed them and pressed them tightly together, like more might burst from my tongue without my permission. He glared down at me, looking like the fallen warrior angel he was. His blonde hair bled black tips; his eyes flamed and were boiling pools of silver. He scared me more n that moment than ever before. The intense moment was broken when the shrill laughter of Lilith burst into life.

"Abbadon has had his feelings hurt. Like a babe in a crib, this one! I can't leave you for five seconds can I?" Lilith had a joking demeanor, but underneath, I could feel her ready to pounce at any second to get to her sister. Her eyes were also the silver of an angry angel. I noticed this about them; their eyes turned the most startling silver when intense emotion was pressed upon them.

I'd not noticed before the sword in her right hand. It was double bladed and each half as long as her arm. Around the middle was an intricate design of oak leaves and flowers, it was quite beautiful, like Caedeon's sword, though I'd only ever seen it drenched in blood. I hoped there would be no battle fought. It would be terrible to see the people I have come to consider my friends cover themselves in one another's blood.

"I wish for you to release my sister." Lilith demands.

"No, no! I'm fine here, really Lilly, it's quite comfortable to have lost blood flow in my arm!" Procel says cheerily, sarcasm etched into her words. Caedeon thrust Procel away from him and she crashed to the ground. I kneeled hastily by her side and Lilith was over in an instant, the sword gone.

"This is not the Abbadon I know, what has your world done to him girl?" she says, staring at me with troubled features. I had no answer from her, and it was good that she expected none.

We walked on, Caedeon brooding before us. I followed in step behind Lilith, beside Procel, though she was crazy sometimes, she was the wisest of us all. Her presence soothed me and helped me think. I enjoyed our brief chats about nothing in particular, and our shares jokes, how she would let me have her cloak at night for warmth, though I had Zazel. I worried, I have never seen her eat, and I am concerned that she starves.

One night I had asked her if she needed some of my food. She politely declined on the terms that it was unnecessary and human. She probably did not sleep at night either. Lilith had told me that each angel's punishment differed according to the sin he or she committed. Lilith's punishment is unknown to me, all she said, was that she wanted a child, so she stole one, and ended up killing it. For murder and thievery, she was cast down.

She said that Procel had been cast down for the great sin of sloth, she cared little, and her choices were her down bringing. Her punishment was that she could never care for something in her life, without bringing great harm to it. Her power of knowledge was to become her only friend, and it would drive her mad. I think worst of all, is that she cannot die.

She told me, that Caedeon's punishment, was that he could die, but he would be revived. He could feel the pain and agony of every fatal blow of a sword, illness that befell his body. He was cast from Heaven and his immortal body. He is forced to take a human body when his old one dies of age. Never injury, just age, so that he may feel the withering of his skin and the frailness of his bones as his life escapes him. His punishment is brutal in every way. He may never eat, though he feels hunger, never drink though he may thirst. He was granted one wish however, and Procel told me he asked of God, "Let me rest, so that I may not see the world of my punishment. Give me that peace." And so God granted him his wish. He may sleep through the night, only to have nightmares of things passed. His sin, was lust, and envy. He fell in love with a human girl, but she was to be married to another. Abbadon grew jealous of the other man, and killed him before his time. God smote him down to earth with Lucifer.

Andromalious's sin was wrath, he hated humans. He thought our species worthless, they caused so much pain to his lord that he could not stand them. He was looked upon with pity, his wings stripped from him, and he cast to earth. He was to live his life with Lucifer, unable to leave his side, and that is his punishment.

My friends and companions were a sad bunch. I was jarred from my thoughts when I ran into Lilith's back. She had stopped walking. I looked up from the ground and saw a man in front of her. His smile held a crooked, boyish grin. His hair was a soft, chestnut brown, eyes blazing green and height towering. He was skinny, but lithe, with tan skin. I could see that Lilith had stopped breathing. I wondered if the man was a danger, and looked for my dragon, I would protect him. I could not find him. I nudged Procel and asked her if she could see Zazel anywhere.

The beautiful man turned to stare at me, as if I had called his name and a smile broke out over his face. His teeth were like small pearls, they were so white. He pushed past Lilith and made his way over to me when Procel stood before me, as if blocking his way.

"I told you that you couldn't hide forever dear!" she says happily. The man lets out an irritated sigh and glares at her, a look that should not grace his features. She bows slightly and moves out of his path. He stood before me, towering over me like a giant in old fairy tales. Abruptly, he knelt down in front of me; I saw a few scales on the back of his neck that were of the same color and pattern of Zazel's. I reached my hand out and stroked them delicately and they flaked off and fell to the ground. He visibly shuddered and looked at me with a smile.

"Zazel?" I questioned.