Seven Deadly Sins Collab | Glutonny

Sin ( Glutonny )

" Noah... No! "

Harper heard Penelope shout. 'Did he face Collin's fate? ' She wondered.

She had long abandoned the others, after witnessing Collin's ordeal. Having turned left into a narrow passage, she continued on her way, the sound of her footsteps being her only companion.

She strode forwards. The passage seemed to lure her in. As she progressed, she became aware of the sudden change in her surroundings.

No longer murky nor odious, the passage had undergone a notable transformation.

There were detailed drawings carved along the stone walls, analogous to those mentioned in Dante's Inferno.

Harper recalled what she knew on the subject. Literature and mythology had always interested her.

Every strike, every indent boasted the craftsmanship of its sculptor. They were lightened by the bioluminescence of some creatures eerily similar to glow worms.

The carvings illustrated how a three headed, monstrous, sluggish beast, guarded the gluttons while mauling and flaying them with its claws as they howl for mercy, in what could surely be considered hell.

Intriguing as it was, Harper couldn't help but feel unnerved at the ominous depiction.

As her eyes scanned the intricate patterns, Harper became aware of a greenish glow. Its brightness captured her attention and she moved towards it to get a closer look.

Much to her chagrin, the glow disappeared as she took a ninty degree turn to the left.

But in its place, on a stone ledge was a note inscribed in a papyrus sheath. There was also a small package held in place by a green ribbon.

Harper picked up the note, taking care not to crease its edges.

A little help.

A simple sentence , nothing more.

Harper was intrigued. What form of help? From whom? To whom? There were endless questions, none that would be answered. Yet.

That was when she saw the carvings on the ledge itself. Cursive letters carefully imprinted onto the hard marble.

' The journey has begun,
To find the only one,
worthy of the egg of the noble one,
Could it be you?
the test is set,
satiety, will determine the rest '

Harper was left none the wiser about the situation at hand. The first part was clear. It was referring to the dragon's egg. But what test? Most importantly, why would satiety determine it? She was perplexed and felt something gnaw at the pit of her stomach; fear.

Temporarily ignoring the message, Harper turned her attention towards the package.

It was small. Neatly packed. The ribbon holding together its contents. Despite the size, it weighed on Harper's hand. Maybe that was due to the trepidation of what it might contain, more so than its mass.

With rapid, excited breaths and quivering fingers, she gingerly untied the package, only to find .....

Food

with another note in aforementioned script, which she soon forgot about.

Harper let out a loud squeal of excitement.

Why?

Well, she was parched. And hungry. So much so, to the extent of devouring everything in it ,without even caring what it actually is. She was about to eat the delectable bread when a voice halted her limbs from grasping it.

March.

Apparently she had heard Harper's exclamation.

" Harper, is that you? What's going on? Is everything okay? " She heard March ask, her voice a bit muffled coming from her right.

" Yeah, it's me. Nothing's wrong. Well, I did find a weird message that made no sense whatsoever, but there's this parcel with food and drink. I was going to dig in, when you called. " She replied.

" Don't get overexcited girl! Who knows, it might be a trick. You witnessed what happened to Colin. Be careful. " March adviced her friend.

But to no avail. Harper was adamant in her belief that nothing's wrong in taking one bite and a sip.

Tired of arguing, March was about to let the matter slide, when she recalled Harper mentioning a note.

" What was in that note Harper? Tell me. "

" Nothing worthwhile " . Harper answered. Nevertheless, she disclosed its contents.

" Don't you get it Harper. It says satiety will determine the rest. Don't touch that food! " March exclaimed stressing the word.

" Cut me some slack, would you? " Harper huffed in annoyance. " What's the worst that could happen? "

Turning a deaf ear and tuning out March's pleas, she uncapped the tiny bottle and took a sip.

The liquid tingled her taste buds, sending shivers of delight down her dry throat. It was like ambrosia to her, sweet and addicting.

All too soon, she had finished it off to the last drop. That was heavenly . Harper thought to herself. Wish there was more.

She turned her attention to the piece of ' bread '. She wasn't sure whether what she held in her hands, sufficed that definition.

It was something in between a croissant and bagel, crispy and buttery. Surprisingly, it was still warm, with an aroma traumatizing her tongue and messing with her senses in general.

Simply put, it was urging her nostrils to get another sniff, begging her tongue to get a taste, all the while demanding her mind to allow at least a morsel to greet her teeth.

Harper gave in. Pretty soon, a nibble turned to a bite till eventually there was nothing more. No longer hungry nor thirsty, Harper let out a burp as a show of satisfaction.

That's when she felt something in her stomach. It seemed as if the nematodes in her intestines doubled in size and were indulging in a feast of their own.

Harper stumbled, tripping on her own feet. She held onto the ledge for support.

Something was happening to her. She couldn't move her legs. Harper glanced down. She was gradually turning to stone! Harper realized in horror. The stiffness in her lower limbs spread up towards her waist.

Her eyes fell on the note she had previously chucked away. In a haste, she reached out for it and began to read. It was another poem;

'Protect this package,
Deliver it whole,
To the only one,
Who can take you home

Don't indulge,
Don't devour,
If you do,
You're a failure .'

Was that the help ? To deliver the package? It was too late when the gravity of what she did, dawned on her.
Harper let out a muffled cry for help. She wasn't sure whether anybody had heard her. Even if they had, they wouldn't be able to assist her. By now, only her face remained intact.

All too soon, it succumbed and the last thing she heard before giving into the wrath of gluttony was March's voice,

" Gluttony. It was gluttony. "