The Seven Deadly Sinners

11

"Why's it a semi-circle?" I finally said. His eyes moved right over to where I was, but I could tell he couldn't see me. He gave me a small smile.

"Together we make up the circle on the outside of the pentagram. Jake and Tara each have a bottom leg of the star, Dev and Corey each have a side arm, Sam and Kat each have two and a half sides of the pentagon in the middle and half of the top arm of the star, and we each have half of the circle on the outside of it. Because together we're able to do everything, handle it all when we're side by side," he explained.

This guy was literally Satan. And Satan had a soft side that I couldn't help but love. He was nervous about hurting my feelings or changing who I was. He didn't want me to be scared. He really cared, really wanted to make sure I was okay. I got up and walked over by him.

"I'm standing right here now. Can I sit?" I asked, pointing at the spot next to him on the bed. But he couldn't see me, still.

"Yeah, of course," he said. "Come back here, actually." He scooted back so we could sit on the other edge of the bed that was in the corner of the room, giving us a place to lean our backs against the wall.

"It's not going to hurt when we touch each other again, right?" I asked.

"No, just the first time we touch. The other sins were all assigned to each other so they knew what was going to happen. They've always known who their Promised was. It sort of sucked for me, honestly. Having to be in charge of three couples who are deeply in love that always have been and always will be," he said.

"Well, I guess it'll be four couples soon. And I'll be in charge," I said. I crawled onto the bed and scooched back to sit by him. I saw him watching the indentations and wrinkles I made on the mattress and comforter.

"Technically we'll be in charge. After we finish the training and teaching for both us and you. We're like the literal definition of a power couple," he said.

"That was so incredibly cringey to hear," I giggled.

"I'm trying to relate this to human terms! Even though I've basically been a human for the last 230 years, so we're both basically on the same page," he said. I nodded and smiled. "Have you been doing that this whole time?" he asked. I looked over to see that he was looking at me. Like actually at me, not near me or through me. "Nodding and stuff? You know you've been invisible, right?"

"Am I not anymore?" I asked.

"Eh. You're at maybe 20% visibility. See through but visible," he replied.

"Well congratulations, you're calming me down," I said.

"Why are...how is this not freaking you out more? You literally just heard all of the raw truth from Belial—Kevin—and you just, like, accepted it. I'd be losing my shit right now," said Colby.

"Hm. I'm not sure. I'm used to crazy shit happening around me all of the time, except this is obviously different. Maybe it's just like in my soul or whatever to accept this a little more readily than other humans?" I asked more than said. Colby nodded.

"Yeah, that could be it. And I'm assuming you have questions now, so what can I tell you?"

"You're all a sin and a demon and a person? You all have three names? And how does the hierarchy work here? Who's in charge and why and what order of power do you operate in?" I asked. Had to understand the system to run it.

"Yes, we're three things. I'm Wrath, Satan, Colby. And then there's Lust, Asmodeus, Jake. Sloth, Belphegor, Corey. Envy, Leviathan, Kat. Greed, Mammon, Sam. Gluttony, Beelzebub, Devyn. Pride, Lucifer, Tara. And Mike is Aria, Brennen is Charon. They're not sins, like I said. Just some of the rulers of hell. We thought we were looking for Astaroth, the devil. He's not what humans think of as the devil. Astaroth is the treasurer if hell. Fucked some stuff up a while ago and dipped out. We figured it'd be him since he's powerful, too. Except not as much as you," Colby replied. "And the order of power here is me, Tara, Dev, Sam, Kat, Corey, and then Jake. You're at the top, of course. Mike and Brennen don't have any special abilities other than Urging. They've got their own responsibilities down in hell. Their time up here is just temporary. They're here to babysit us, basically."

"Okay, and your powers or abilities or whatever?"

"Okay, so powers and abilities are actually two different things. We only have our abilities right now. I've got speed and short range teleportation, Tara's got strength, Dev can control what others say, Sam can make small and simple things move or fall over. Kat can melt stuff or make it really hot, Corey can change his outward appearance but only for like a minute, and Jake can compel people to move. Our powers are a lot more intense and crazy and we know what they are, but we can't use them yet," Colby said. I let out a sigh.

"I'm assuming you say 'yet' because once Mike does this ritual thing it will essentially unleash your power to the full extent?" I asked.

"Bingo. Except you get powers, too. Your only ability is the Urge, but abilities only exist to act as some sort of help for the sins while we waited for Astaroth. Or for you, I mean."

"Wait, what are my powers?" I asked.

"Well, for one, you can turn invisible," he replied. "But we'll get into powers later. They're relatively complex and we've all got several. Any other questions?"

"Yeah, um, are... are they scared of me?" I asked. He furrowed his brow.

"I wouldn't say scared...there's just a big thing with respect for people like you. They feel weird for having treated you like anyone else before they knew. They're not going to act any different around you, they're just going to be a little, well, nicer I guess. But that's sort of how things for all people. You make a new friend and you're a little nicer to them in the beginning. But once you get to know them, you just fuck around with and be complete dicks to each other because you know you love each other. That kind of thing," Colby explained. "They've all already met you and talked to you though, so they at least know you a little bit. It's honestly a good thing that you were introduced as a normal person instead of as their leader. Makes the whole thing more natural because they're able to view you as someone real just like them instead of some sort of idol. Like when you meet famous people? You sort of freak out because in your mind they seem unreal. Basically, you're famous to all of us. We just didn't know what you looked like.

"Dev feels a little embarrassed, though. That she got shitfaced with you and wasn't as nice as she said she wanted to be. Jake feels like a fucking idiot for trying to Urge you. But I have to say we're all impressed that you let him think he got away with it," Colby said. I shrugged.

"Wasn't trying to blow my cover five minutes in," I said.

"Understandable. Now that I can see you, do you want to go downstairs and see them all?" he asked.

"How well can you see me?" I asked.

"Maybe half now. Can't see all the way through you anymore but you're still a little foggy," he said.

"Okay, yeah," I sighed. "Let's go."