Humbling the Proud

Prologue

"YOU DARE THREATEN ME?!?!" bellowed the King. The guards jumped as his voice shook the chamber walls. They kept their pikes pointed at the winged figure, though a slight shake was noticeable in their grip now. Although they surrounded the giant winged figure when it appeared, very few believed they could survive against such a massive opponent. The tallest of the guards was only head level with his shoulder. With feathers coated with the smallest hint of ash, the figure wore an ivory colored cloak that hid everything but his massive form and stubble coated jaw.

"King Bera" said the stranger, choosing to stand despite the authority the king spoke with. His presence maintained the mysterious power he arrived so suddenly with. His voice was low, but carried enough bass to be heard beyond the strengthened wooden doors that separated his chambers from the great hall. "I implore you to see the reason, the farmers' warning was more than 2 suns ago. See this not as a threat, but as proof that what he spoke of is indeed avoidable for both Sodom and Gomorrah."

"Proof says you," the king sneered back. "All I see is a winged outcast, looking for another throne to grovel before.'' He had seen the creatures that wander through the forest. He heard from his guards the tales they spun of being cast out of some bright plane higher than his kingdom's tallest mountains. This rejected ave was just one of many crying for another kingdom to call home. His mutated appendages were proof of punishment for slighting its previous master.

The change was felt before it was seen, the light from the fire noticeably dimmed, the warmth of it seemingly stolen by this statement. The blazing golden eyes of this stranger rose to meet the kings as the wings on his back instantly straightened. They spread with a force of a small light storm from the mountains, throwing the guards from him at such force that he swore some may never rise again.

"My standing with HIM needs no verification from a mere human tyrant!'' The sheer power in his voice left little to negotiate. "I came to reason with your humanity Bera, as one of the 4 kings. I thought you would at least have some humanity left." His posture lessened, as his voice lowered, " Please tell me you haven't lost—"

"ENOUGH" commanded the King, " I will not be lectured on humanity by a creature who holds no mannerisms to namespeak of all things."

"My name holds no value to the problem at hand your majesty, but my message should not not be ignored" pleaded the winged stranger. This was proving to be more difficult than he previously thought. 'Why are you so stubborn huma–'

"Your message falls on deaf ears, names are everything around here, vulture..." a voice as sweet as silk and laced with the stench of narcissism " or is it Virtue? Right number 4, The Virtue of Humility!"

The figure, Humility, shot up straight and his wings folded back to their resting position. His golden eyes previously so powerful now filled with dread as he looked towards the king's bed. The furs previously hanging down the side now rustled as they were pulled to cover numerous curves and valleys of rich caramel skin. Her hair as black as the obsidian jewels mined below the surface of Sodom's kingdom, it trailed after her calves as she sauntered her way to the side of the king. She pierced Humility with her crimson gaze. Daring the virtue to make a move.

"Pride" whispered Humility, " I see my efforts are for not. After all, what human can resist a living Sin whispering in his ear."

She sat on the lap of the king, effectively distracting the gullible man as she smiled victoriously at the sulking virtue "Quite right you are vulture, we will have none of your lies here. Begone so that we may continue our hard won peace." she ended the sentence while grazing her bottom lip up the side of the king's face.

"Very well, but I must ask, did Lust finally succeed in stealing Lucifer away from your hooked embrace?" a small smirk playing at humility's face as he prepared his transference.