Angel of Inferno (sample chapters)

The Seven

It waited. 

The doors shuddered liquid color seeping through the cracks, igniting each of them. 

It charged. 

Darkness encased its vision as the doors flew open. The world was strange. No fire. No tortured souls screaming for mercy, for a second chance. No whips cracking. Just silence.

Darkness. 

The floor was green with soft blades poking out of it. Green just like the first one to exit Hell. Its energy began to form itself into a black, spiny mockery of a body. Green tendrils of poison wrapped around its hands, dripping off its sharpened fingertips. It webbed all across the body, venomous, disgusting. A green blindfold wrapped around the space where its eyes should have been.

Then it remained floating in midair, already hating the new world, waiting for its fellow sins. Envy's long green tongue lunged at the open air, curling over its teeth. Slimy saliva dribbled from its mouth. What was taking so long? Probably Lucifer, telling all the other sins something important in private, without Envy. It snarled. The Devil always liked the other sins better, didn't he? They would all emerge from Inferno far smarter and this sin would be the one left behind.

After what felt like a century, another sin finally emerged from the Doors. The black energy swept itself into smooth curves, perfect forms, and silky mockery of hair. Its hands were soft also tinged blue. Lust donned itself a blue blindfold. It looked towards Envy, which bristled with...well, envy.

"Must you always be prettier than me? Why do you get to look the best out of all of us? I see the way the Frozen King looks at you. He makes sure he does with all six of his eyes! What were you getting special treatment too? What took you so long?"

"Oh for the hate of all nine circles Envy dear, I look this way so that little humans want to fuck. Why else? They certainly wouldn't take the likes of you to any kind of bed."

Envy screeched at it, causing more slime to drip down its mouth. Lust recoiled, its perfect little nose scrunching up in disgust.

"Besides, there was no special treatment. We got held up because Sloth fell asleep."

By the sound of its voice, Lust probably would've rolled its eyes if it had any. Just as it said this, another sin emerged rather sluggishly from the Doors. It wore a blindfold much lighter blue than Lust's. Its black energy had only half-formed. Pieces of its arms had holes in it, tinged with more light blue while its head lolled to the side due to lack of neck. It continued its slow pace towards the other two sins. Lust had made a shadowy—nail file? Of course, it did. Unlike everyone else Lust got to have nails. Envy wanted to wring its perfect little neck. But no matter, Lust filed its mockery of nails, sighing to itself even though breathing was very unnecessary.

"For evil's sake, Sloth. You couldn't have at least put yourself together enough to get through the door?"

Sloth's reply came so slurred, Envy didn't make out a word and Lust must not have either because it decided to comment further.

"Talking normally isn't that hard dear. You'll have to try that again."

Sloth groaned.

"Having to form a body is so much work. At least in Inferno, all I have to do is feed off lazy humans, blissful and scattered everywhere."

"Well sorry to break it to you, darling, but things don't work like that here on the surface of Septurig. You'll have to put up with this lovely form of yours until you take a host."

More groaning emanated from Sloth just as two more sins exited the doors. One of them was incredibly large, its black energy far wider than any of the sins. It was so unfair! Why did Gluttony get to be the biggest? It wore an orange blindfold and had so many rows of teeth it couldn't make any other noise but gurgles. Envy was unfortunately reminded of this when the huge sin tried to speak.

"Can't hear you, Gluttony. As usual," said Lust.

Gluttony settled for roaring at it. The other sin's body wore burning armor, the hot flames illuminating the dark field. A red blindfold obscured the top of its head. Red, jagged cracks zigzagged all the way down its body. Wrath bared its teeth and howled at the sky.

"I hate this form! I need a host now!"

Its shouts echoed into the night, the flames intensifying with each scream. Sloth grabbed its head.

"Shut up, Wrath! I can't nap with all your yelling!"

"Don't tell me what to do you little bastard! I could snap you like a twig!"

"We're intangible specters, you moronic hothead. It's impossible to snap anything."

Wrath roared at the sky again. It spun in circles, smacking the floor with flaming fists, tearing out pieces of the green blades.

"I hate waiting! What's taking the other two?"

"Waiting means naps. Avarice and Vanity can take as long as they want."

Sloth curled up on the ground, some of the green blades sticking out through the holes in its body. Lust, who had still been filing its nails, looked up.

"Where are Avarice and Vanity?"

"Here they come. Lucifer probably gave them special treatment too," spat Envy.

A body with a yellow blindfold, four arms, and yellow satchels covering it scrambled out from the doors. It had no proper mouth like the others, just a gaping hole. Why did Avarice get to look different? Slime spilled out of Envy's mouth once more as it bared its fangs. Avarice glanced over at them, its hollow voice carrying into the night.

"Septurig's wealth will be mine."

"You certainly don't seem in much hurry to get it! What took you two?"

Wrath exploded into flames again as it yelled at Avarice.

"Vanity wanted me to hold mirrors for it as it made its body. They were golden, so I did it gladly."

Vanity, wearing a purple blindfold, tossed back its mockery of beautiful locks. It turned up its expertly designed nose and chin at the rest of the sins. Envy snarled. Vanity always thought it was better than them. Better than Envy. It wasn't fair! Vanity looked down at the green blades and sighed.

"Really there is no reason to complain. All of you should feel privileged that I even showed up at all."

"Sure thing dear. How's our pet doing in the Kingdom of Prudence?"

"She's doing perfectly. Why would she be doing anything less? I'm the one who chose her after all."

"Who the fuck cares? We're wasting time! I need a host now!"

Wrath pounded its fists on the floor. Lust tossed away its nail file, a smirk playing on its mockery of lips.

"For once, Wrath darling, I agree. This isn't Inferno any more dears. Now we have to make our own. Lucifer's orders."

Wrath beat its chest with balled fists howling at the sky. Then it blasted off ahead of them all, bursting into more flames, screaming. Envy followed soon after because Wrath didn't deserve to be first! The other sins followed suit, Lust giggling, Avarice crawling with its four arms, Vanity taking its sweet time, and Gluttony and Sloth lagging behind. All these pathetic humans will tremble at their unholy might! Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Kingdoms in Septurig. One for each of them. For once, it was fair.