Seven Sins - Second Part | BTS x Reader

Layers

"Exquisite", you mumble to yourself while you take a step forward, following Daimon. He's broken out into a new direction, approaching the small town next to the lava river. When he notices you're behind, he patiently waits until you've arrived next to him.

You didn't realize before how large he actually is. Now that he's walking next to you, his shoulder blades shifting under his shiny black fur, his full size becomes noticeable.
He is so large that the curve of his back easily reaches your hips. You're sure he's still a rather slim individual of his race, yet his head is so big your hand wouldn't even touch both of his ears if you put it between them.
With your eyes resting on his fur, you decide to lift your hand and rest it on Daimon's back. He's big enough that it's not uncomfortable to walk like this. Trusting that Daimon is leading you in the right direction, you trace his spine with your fingertips, admiring the smoothness of his fur. The cat responds with a low hum in his chest; so deep that it makes his entire body vibrate.

For a while, the two of you walk like this. But when you get close to the town, Daimon suddenly stops and turns to look at you.
We shouldn't go there, he firmly says. You frown. You were actually interested in seeing what a hellish town looks like. "Why not?"
The panther's whiskers twitch as if he is smelling something unpleasant.
Because I don't want you to see it. This is hell, Y/N. One of its many layers, maybe the least dangerous, but still not good in any way. There is nothing humane down here. And you're young and unstable.
His words hurt the tiniest bit, but you know he's right. With a sigh, you lower your shoulders that you pulled up defensively.

The familiar's silver eyes soften.
We will run through. Slow enough for you to see, but not too much. Is that a deal?
Immediately, you can feel a smile spread on your face and Daimon's eyes light up as if your happiness is his biggest wish. When you think about it, he acts a littlebit like an older brother – even though you had always seen him as younger than you, which is not true, as you just found out. Familiars apparently live longer than you originally thought.
Before you can get lost in your thoughts, Daimon pushes himself off the ground. You have just enough time to admire the flexing of his muscles as the panther launches himself into the air, then he's already gone. You quickly follow him to catch up, but he, surprisingly, is almost faster. He stays in front when you enter town. Running past, you can see gaunt children, but mostly adult and old people, huddled together in the simple stone houses. You can see their eyes flicker as they're trying to follow your rapid movement with their glances, a few even raise their hands as if to ask you to help them. But Daimon is an ever-present buzzing in your head, the pressure he exerts on your mind is almost too much to bear. Could you feel pain, you probably would have a headache. The pressure doesn't let off until the last few houses have flown by and you're out of town. Several miles away from it, Daimon finally stops. Like you, he doesn't seem to be out of breath even one bit.

"They looked awful", you say as you come to a halt next to him. He flicks his tail. I told you it's hell, he replies. The sound of his voice in your mind is still unfamiliar. To a certain extent, what humans think of hell is correct – it is a place of punishment, though not only for humanity itself. But it is the reason why you will inevitably see a lot of cruelty when you come here.
He turns away and breaks into a jog, leading you further away from the town and towards a darker part of the cave.
Hell is divided into several layers and caves. The further away they are from the entrance, the harsher the punishments they entail. The people you just saw are dead, but their sins were grave enough for them to get here. They're doomed to an endless life in that town, but I cannot tell you what their individual punishments are.

You have to process his words, following him quietly for a while. "So demons are punishers?", you then ask.
Even while he's running, you can see Daimon shrug. It looks like a glitch in reality. Technically, he says. You're not sure if he's trying to evade the question or if he doesn't know what to say.
Most demons are assigned to tend to the beings that are being punished in these caves. Then there are demons who are so low in rank and power that they don't serve any purpose – like the Kahak you just saw, the flying ones.
He pauses while he swerves into a gentle curve. The cave is getting darker and darker with every step you take, but your demon eyes can easily identify the hole in the cave wall before you.
And then there are those who supervise, or who are too strong to be wasted on such tedious and monotone work. The Ayabbi, for example. Lucifer himself, and those who work for him. Or the Seven Sins.

"The Seven Sins?", you ask, surprised. The hole in the wall is coming closer and closer.
I guess nobody told you because it doesn't matter at this point, but before they were caught, the Seven Sins were a force to be reckoned with. Down here, everyone feared and respected them, even part of the Ayabbi. It wasn't a coincidence that they got the sins, even though no one knows how and why it happened.
"A higher force?", you think out loud and Daimon scoffs.
Angels and the like don't meddle in downworldly affairs. They're too far up their own asses for that.

"Daimon!", you scold him indignantly, but he only snickers. It doesn't sound nice.
Well, enough of this. We're about to enter another cave. He doesn't slow down as he approaches the wall you saw before. As you assumed, it is indeed a portal into another part of hell.
We'll jump through here, then I can teleport us to the residence of the Ayabbi, Daimon says before he pushes himself off the ground, practically flying through the hole. You follow him, though your jump probably isn't quite as elegant.

Behind the hole is a short, very dark tunnel. It's full of rubble and stone, which is why you and Daimon take a few large jumps to get to the other end. You end up on a ledge high above the ground, opening the view to a cave that is darker, larger and more intimidating than the one before.
The stone is even blacker here and there's fewer lava rivers, which makes it seem uncomfortably gloomy. You can't see any towns or houses, and while there are a few trees here and there, you can only describe the place as depressing.

You glance over to Daimon. He looks almost majestic, staring down in the valley before you, and you have to remind yourself that he is "just" a familiar – no highranking demon. It's almost impossible to believe.
His eyes flicker towards you, meeting your glance halfway.
I feel honored, but do not make that mistake, he says tonelessly. It sounds hard although he didn't physically speak.
In a situation where you need to choose, you need to be able to sacrifice me in a heartbeat. That is what familiars are there for.

He doesn't give you time to object or give any other reaction.
Place your hand on my back, he says, still scanning your surroundings as if he's sure something is going to jump you any second. And don't let go.
Intimidated by his earlier words, you heed his advice, placing your hand firmly between his shoulders.
"Here goes", you can hear him mumble, this time aloud, before your body is being pulled into nothingness.

This time, you seem to reach your goal faster than the times before. You don't know if it has to do with Daimon being your familiar or his newly-returned powers since you're in hell, but when you come out the other end and stumble a few steps forward, you don't have time to think about it anymore. A dark castle looms up in front of you, easily twice the size of the mansion of the Seven Sins, and every corner is oozing evil.

"We're here", Daimon growls superfluously.
"Yes", you whisper. The aura of the castle makes it impossible for you to speak louder.

"YN!"

A roaring voice springs somewhere from the castle, but even your demonic senses cannot tell where it stems from.
"We are so delighted to have you, dear."
Your ears pick up quiet snickers in the background. You straighten your back while Daimon presses against your right leg.

"Come on in", the voice says, and then the black gates of the castle swing open as if by magic.