The Seven Deadly Sins *UPDATED WITH GLUTTONY!*

[xanderK]

The Four Horsemen have been defeated in the field of battle. But what is next for the land of Newerth...

The heroes had been defeated and Maliken stood triumphant. The power of his fallen horsemen flowed into him. Bathing in the glow of this new found power, he settled back onto the ground, bone wings creaking as they supported the weight of the great demon. He surveyed the field.

The Seven Deadly Sins have arrived in Newerth! Their mere presence in the world strikes fear in the hearts of men, beasts and demons alike. Below, you can find images of these terrifying beings along with the story of how each one came to Newerth. Plus, you can also read about how the story started after the Four Horsemen were defeated.

Gluttony

A familiar hum of power coursed through the Grimoire. Envy swiftly moved across the battlefield and knew that the next vessel was not far off.

"Can it possibly be this easy? This obvious?" thought Envy as he looked across the scarred landscape.

At the edge of the battlefield sat the corpulent composite creature of chaos known as Devourer. The patchwork demon was the most ravenous creature that the human magi had ever summoned in their wars against the beasts and the monstrosity was known for consuming every creature it was able to get it's hook into. The creatures it didn't finish were simply added to his patchwork body.

Envy strode confidently towards the demon, the now comforting power of the Grimoire clutched tightly in his hand. As he neared, the Devourer looked up from the corpse he was gnawing on, distracted by the immense power that was so close and he knew that he must have it. The Devourer lashed out with his hook and wrapped it around the creature holding the powerful relic and tried to reel it back in to be consumed but it did not move.

Envy was not surprised by the reaction of Devourer but he was confident that with the strength of six Sins coursing through him, he would be able to withstand the grapple of the brute. As the lash wrapped around him and began to tug him forward he simply drove his tentacles down into the earth at his feet and anchored himself in place. As hard as the beast tugged, Envy was not about to be moved. His grin widened as his gamble paid off.

"YOU RESIST US! IMPOSSIBLE! WE ARE NOT TO BE DENIED," the twins heads shrieked at Envy in disbelief. The sound of the two voices blending together would have chilled any mortal that heard its cacophonic melody.

"Not this time, corpulent one. I am not here to be consumed by you. I am here to unshackle you. No longer will your hunger go unsatiated if you accept the power I offer. Unbind yourself from Maliken and bind yourself to the power I bear - the power of Sin." The demons eyes locked for just a moment as Envy spoke and he knew that Devourer wanted what he offered and there was no hesitation.

"FEED US THEN, DEMON!" shouted the smaller head as the beast drew its hook back away from its immobile target.

Envy opened the book and an intense orange smoke poured out from the pages and flowed toward Devourer. It swiftly enveloped the beast.

"THE SMOKE BURNS! YOU HAVE TRICKED US!" The twin heads shrieked as one.

The smell of burning flesh and chemicals filled the air as the hook lashed back out from the cloud of orange smoke toward the smiling figure of Envy. The hook never landed on its target, instead falling harmlessly to the ground before retracting. The screams from inside the cloud continued for several minutes as the sin was seared into the flesh of the demon. The smoke dissipated and in place of the corpulent patchwork demon stood a reborn creature of pure hunger. The burns etched deeply in the rolls of flesh of its obese frame and were interrupted by the maws that covered his body. Gluttony was born from the flesh of the Devourer.

"I HUNGER!" shouted the new Sin. All of his maws roared at once and power coursed back into Envy. A tongue shot from the great central maw and speared several of the nearby dead bodies like a demonic kabob of fallen men. It quickly drew them back into its body and, like an entire school of piranha, there was nothing left of the flesh of the creatures it consumed. The demon then went to work on devouring the bones and scraps of armor that remained behind.

Envy knew it was time to call to his brothers and sister. He opened the book again, turned instinctively to a page near the center and began to read. Smoke swirled around him again, first green, then joined by cyan, purple, blue, red, yellow and then orange. The colors swirled faster and faster into a violent plume of rainbow hued chaos and when it burst apart all of the seven stood together, assembled for the first time.

Envy looked at the might before him and knew what he must do next. He continued the incantation and from the vapors the spirits of sin reemerged and touched each of the vessels, enhancing their power. The spirits swirled about both the avatars and their weapons. Power crackled between the seven. Envy grinned and began to speak.

"The Grimoire has chosen well! We are now the most powerful creatures in Newerth. We are siblings now, born of sin and purged of the trappings of our past lives. It is time to claim our destiny. We were chosen not to serve, but to rule this forsaken planet and the hells below it. We need simply take that which is rightfully ours. Only one creature stands between us and that which is fated for us - Maliken himself."

The others stood silent. Not certain if Envy was serious or not. The demon continued to speak as he slipped between his siblings and spoke softly to each of them.

"Sloth, you have no desire to wage war, but until the General is deposed he will force you to fight for him." The giant's twin heads looked at one another and slowly nodded in agreement.

"Pride, you cannot allow a lesser man to rule over any part of the world, it obviously belongs to you." The man looked up from his reflection in the shield and tossed his hair from side to side before assenting.

He looked to Lust who was staring at Pride, the only creature in the area that was not transfixed on her. Envy stepped close and whispered in her ear, "He will never notice you until you show him your worth. Help him depose his father and then you can have the one person you want more than any other...the king." She smiled coyly at his suggestion.

Envy reached out to stroke Calm as the creature ran up Wrath's shoulder. "It will be a glorious battle to unleash your rage in." Wrath reached behind his shoulder and drew out a great stalagmite from his own back. Blood spilled from the wound and he gave a war cry - it appeared that he agreed.

"Greed...there is no being in all of Newerth with more riches than Maliken. His chariots and opulence are unmatched in all the realms. Help me defeat him and it can be yours."

"I desire the book as well,” said Greed.

"Fine...once Maliken has been deposed, the Grimoire is yours," Envy said begrudgingly."We have an agreement then,” said Greed with a smile.

Envy turned to Gluttony last. "There will be great feasts...both man and demon will fatten your belly." The sound of crunching bones filled the air as the creature spoke its agreement.

And in that moment, the Seven Deadly Sins set forth to destroy the General of the Hellbourne armies and self proclaimed King of Newerth - Maliken.

Greed

Envy’s wandering thoughts snapped back to the present. He looked behind him at Jeraziah admiring himself in his shining shield and smiled. As Frederick, he had free reign of the castle and quickly ushered the dignitaries, generals and other guests from the cathedral halls. With four of his brethren awakened, his power was growing even stronger. The Grimoire of Sin felt lighter in his hands as he left the tower and headed through the marble gates.

Envy looked around at the men and beasts that wandered the streets of the city. How long would it take for the corruption to take hold in them as it had their leaders? How will the common man react when he sees that his idols have once again failed him? How good will it feel to see them all in utter ruin and chaos, beneath the heel of vice and indulgence?

The Grimoire hummed with power in his hands. He could feel it literally reaching back out to him and pulling him away again. This time the call was leading him away from the city-- back toward the barracks and the gateway arches where he had corrupted Hammerstorm. Much like hellpits of the Daemon armada, the Legion used these arches to quickly move small groups of warriors to hotspots where they could empower themselves for battle. They were not effective for transporting armies but, for groups of three to five warriors, the magic could reach nearly halfway around the world to places like Grimm’s Crossing, the Forests of Caldevar, Darkwood Vale, or even the infamous Death’s Cradle.

Envy entered the archway and it filled with the faint blue glow of mana as it charged for transport. He felt the tingling sensation over the skin of his host body as he discorporated in the City of Iron and rematerialized leagues away. He oriented himself quickly and found himself in a Legion camp in Death’s Cradle. The guards standing nearby nodded familiarly toward him and he strode away from the camp, back toward the familiar lands controlled by the Hellbourne. He dashed through the paths in the trees and found his way back into the blighted lands. The Grimoire had led him to the aftermath of a great battle. Bodies of both Legion and Hellbourne warriors lay on both sides of the river and he saw a shadowy form lingering near the fallen soldiers. The Grimoire hummed with power again as Envy moved closer.

Soulstealer sensed the demon within the body of the human walking towards him. Possession was not unknown to him, but it made harvesting the souls of the victims much more difficult. He felt the struggling spirit fading within the human and wanted it for his own.

“Leave that body for me to drain, demon, for I have claimed this battlefield as my own and all of its soldiers belong to me,” Said Soulstealer. “This is as it was commanded long ago and this is how it must be!”

“You dare to command me? I am no mere demon, Soulstealer. I once was Parasite, but I am now Envy, bearer of the Grimoire, and most powerful of the embodiments of Sin. And you are merely the cleanup crew on the battlefield, taking the remnants of the fallen as your own. While there are many things I covet, you and your bloody bag of souls is not... and never will be counted among them."

And with that Envy exploded from the body of Frederick, shattering his human shell in an indignant fury.

"You self-righteous fool. I feel the Grimoire calling to me... perhaps it desires a new bearer?" said Soulstealer. "That poor fool you just destroyed gave me enough power now to do this..."

A great demonic claw reached out from the earth at the same moment as a torrent of souls poured from Soulstealer's bag and smashed into Envy. The Sin was unprepared for such an assault and was momentarily slowed by the attack. Soulstealer seized the opportunity and was able to reach out and snatch the Grimoire from Envy's clawed hand.

As soon as the Grimoire touched his spectral hands, the creature known as Soulstealer began a transformation of both body and spirit. His mind fell back to the time before he was the taker of souls... to a life forgotten so many eons ago. The creature that is now Soulstealer was not always a demon. Long ago, he was a mortal, and that mortal spark was what the Grimoire sought out and reawakened.

There, next to him, stood the great Chieftain of the Pollywog people-- adorned in his finery and fattened by the best insects and grubs the swamp had to offer. How much he secretly loathed him.

To the others in the antechamber, it must have seemed that he had everything that one could desire. The priest was adorned in gold trinkets and gemstones, his totems were of the finest make, his seven wives were reputed to only be less beautiful than those of the Chieftain himself, but all of that was never enough. This was the day that he would change all of that. This was the day that he would take what was rightfully his. The Priest had gathered up the second largest collection of gold and jewelry, the second largest home was his, the second biggest group of bodyguards, and the second most powerful magicks all belonged to him. Such was the role that the second born played. Always his fat brother had been the chosen one...no longer would that be the case. The Priest longed for the wealth, status and power that his brother the Chieftain held, and that power would soon be his.

The festivities began in earnest and a plethora of dishes were unveiled to the guests in the chamber. As they dined and drank, they did not notice the darkness among them. Deep shadows holding ancient powers were gathering at the edge of the chamber, waiting to be called. A gong sounded and the Priest stood before the assembled guests to speak.

"Friends, family, and guests. We are gathered here to feast in celebration of another year of my brother's rule!" There were raucous croaks, ribbits and shouts from the guests and the Chieftain himself added, "Without your wise counsel, this could not be so!"

The Priest moved next to his brother, "How right you are. I am honored to be here by your side brother. And to finally take all of that which has been denied me!"

With that, the priest drew a large dagger from his vest and plunged it into the neck of the Chieftain. His soldiers moved to quickly cut down those loyal to his brother and the celebration of his brother's birth quickly became the celebration of his brother's demise. The shadows grew in strength with each death in the room and within minutes of his brother's death, a shadowy form stood in front of the Priest.

"Why are you here?" demanded the Priest. "I have just begun to take that which is mine!"

The shadow spoke in a sweet whisper, "The bargain was only that you would have your brother's things, the bargain was not that you would keep them. Now, it is time for you to fulfill your task for us... for the rest of eternity. This is as it was written... this is as it will be commanded."

"NO! THAT IS NOT THE BARGAIN!" The Priest tried to flee from the room, but each way he turned the path was blocked by a great demonic claw. He turned and struck at the shadow stuff before him with his staff, but it passed harmlessly through the creature. The shadows crept around the terrified amphibian and began to consume him. His gold and jewelry fell to the ground and the sounds echoed through the still room. Moments later, the priest was gone and the creature that would be called Soulstealer stood in his place.

The shadow demon held a bloody sack out to the creature. "In life, you coveted all material things. Now, in eternal unlife, you shall covet the immaterial. Souls will be forever more your currency. Collect them where men fall and use them as you wish, but know this... you will never collect enough to keep you happy. You shall always thirst for more, for your thirst for power will never be quenched in life or in death. Your greed knows no bounds and this is the choice you have made."

The creature grabbed the sack. If it could not have what men had, then it would be happy to take away the last bit of hope that might remain from them. And the Soulstealer was born.

Soulstealer snapped back from his reverie and felt strangely cold. It was a sensation that he remembered, but had not experienced in a very long time. He looked down and saw that he was standing in a shallow pool.

STANDING? How was that possible? He looked in the water and saw a familiar visage staring back at him. He was restored to his former glory! His material body had been granted back by the Grimoire and he felt more powerful than ever before. He raised both of his hands aloft and one.. two... three mighty demon hands erupted from the ground nearby. Apparently his powers were all still here as well, but altered slightly. He felt that the souls no longer were his only source of power as the Grimoire had changed him in more than a physical fashion. No matter, he would be happy to go back and collect all the things taken from him all those years ago. Now nothing possessed by anyone was safe, for Greed was able to take all of their belongings and once he was through with them, he could claim their very souls!

In his excitement he had forgotten about the Grimoire. He looked around to find where he may have dropped it during the confusion and saw Envy staring at him from a few meters away. The demon smiled at the bejeweled amphibian.

"I know the power of the Grimoire is one that many wish to bear, but it is mine brother and you would do well to remember that. I will forgive your assault this time, but know that you are now linked to me. Such an attack would be unwise to say the least. Go now and spread your taint. When the last of our brethren has been found, you will know where to find us."

"One day that Grimoire will be mine, face hugger. You would do well to remember THAT. Just ask my last brother how well keeping things from me turned out for him."

And with that, the Pollywog turned Demon turned Sin leapt into the air and soared away in search of the things he desired. A great golden grin that rivaled Envy's spread across his face and he gazed into the gems in his gauntlets. Within, he saw a faint movement and recognized it as a soul trapped inside. This new form was even better than he thought...

"That was unexpected," mused Envy. He felt his power increase again as Greed was unleashed in the world. "When I find my last vessel, will there be anyone that I cannot have? I wonder."

Just then, the Grimoire hummed with power again and Envy knew it had found the last of his candidates.

Wrath

Envy hurried on as fast as the legs of the Chiprel could carry him. With the tome strapped to his back (thanks to the belt of one of those soldiers under the influence of Lust), he was able to move through the trees and rooftops much more quickly than before. At this point, Envy had grown tired of this body and was looking forward to being back inside the body of an unwilling host so that he would be fulfilled once again.

As he drew closer to his goal, the sky went from its normal blue color to a more subdued hue.. almost gray where the sun could not peak through. The smell of sulfur and burning gasses filled the air and burned the sensitive nose of the chiprel Envy wore as a skin, even from this distance. Soon, before he could even see the towers that guarded the city. he spied the smoke belching from its foundries. Envy climbed a bit higher for a better look and saw the city just at the edge of his field of vision. This was the hub of the Human/Beast Alliance.

While the capital was more resplendent, everyone knew that the City of Iron was truly the key to the Legion. It was here that the machine of war was fueled-- weapons built, soldiers trained, new creations discovered, and new discoveries reverse engineered. It all happened here. North of the City loomed the great mountains, which served as the source of the iron and other metals that were smelted and the coal that fueled the furnaces. The city itself was said to be impregnable, surrounded with walls of black iron which were enchanted to never rust and magically strengthened to withstand any attack. The towers that sat on each of the eight corners of the great octagonal walls held both mundane and magical defenders. This was surely the most impressive city that Envy had seen, dwarfing the size of Hell's Keep. Above the smoke of the foundries rose the gleaming towers of the Cathedral of Sol that served as both a house of worship and as a palace away from the capital for the King of Men and Queen of Beasts. The book was leading him right into the heart of the enemy and Envy was twitching in anticipation.

He scampered down to the ground and headed toward the mighty gates of the City of Iron. There were many men and beasts on the streets, but none paid heed to the chiprel running in their midst. Like so many other small animals he was able to move quickly through the parkways and into the city proper. The book tugged at him, pushing him away from the hustle and bustle of the merchants and carts and toward the great temple in the middle of the city... the Cathedral of Sol. As he neared the Cathedral, Envy could see that many other changes had taken place since the war began here.

The heart of the city was fortified by a small wall and protected by a few regiments of men and beasts. Perhaps the most impressive sight was the presence of the large magical teleporters. They explained so many things... like how the Legion could get to the battlefield so fast to meet them in combat! The book drew Envy near one of the teleporters, where a group of soldiers rested and a large man deftly practiced a series of cuts and slashes with a large broadsword nearby. Envy recognized the warrior from the battlefield and was surprised when he saw who he had been drawn to.

This warrior was the mighty Hammerstorm, former General of Maliken's First Legion. He had left his home in the war-torn mountains and fought at Maliken's side for many years. Stoic and calm on the battlefield, he barely showed any emotion except when he crushed his enemies under that massive hammer. Immediately, Envy knew that the chiprel was not the right vessel to speak to this warrior from. He needed to come to Hammerstorm as a man, for he certainly harbored no love for the beasts that destroyed his people.

Nearby, Envy saw a man in fineries carrying a stack of scrolls under one arm and a ledger under the other. He had the look of an administrator at worst and a wizard at best. Envy knew he had his new host and leapt quickly from the chiprel and into the man, knocking the scrolls and book from the man's hand as the human tried to fight against him. However, with the power he gained from the birth of the other sins, the human was soon under his control. Envy quickly went through the memories of the man he now possessed and he was pleased with what he found. He looked back down to pick up the scrolls and ledger that had been dropped and was surprised to see that the chiprel he had worn all these days was still in one piece. Even more surprising was the sight of Hammerstorm himself reaching down to pick up the small beast and book that was attached to its back.

The hero had heard a strange sound while practicing with his blade and came around the corner to see Frederick, the King's Herald, convulsing violently. He was about to run for a priest when suddenly the man stopped shaking and regained his composure. Hammerstorm was unsure what had happened but saw the books on the ground and, knowing that the Herald was most likely taking information back to the King, he quickly moved to help.

Frederick moved to quickly grab the Grimiore as well, but he was too slow. When Hammerstorm touched the tome, its foul magic went immediately to work. Unlike the others, there was no need to convince this warrior to take up the mantle of Sin. Thanks to the still surviving chiprel, there was a vessel sitting there just waiting to hold the remnants of virtue within the man.

The book reached out with tendrils of red smoke and stripped away the layers of calm and silence from the warrior, allowing him to keenly feel the seething rage he had held back for so long. Anger at the loss of his home, hatred for the betrayal of his General and King, fury toward the demons for all the men lost on the battlefield. The smoke filled the small chiprel as well and the peace that Hammerstorm had carried within him for so long flowed into the little beast. But a touch of rage was present there too; rage at being used for so long by Envy. Despite that, a sense of calm fell over the small animal, as he was now awake and aware for the first time in days.

The magics continued to swirl about as they worked their evil magic on the pair. Hammerstorm fell to the ground and screamed in agony as bits of black bone began to grow from his flesh, ringing his head and covering his back and extremities. Such great pain made him even more furious than he was before. The chiprel pulled himself from the belt and scurried to the shoulder of Hammerstorm, who threw the cursed book aside and reached down to grab his massive hammer. The scope of his rage was immediately clear as he smashed the hammer against a nearby wall several times, reshaping it to his liking. He reached back to grab his sword from his back as well, only to find that it had been overtaken by the boney growth. As the rage continued to overtake him, he ripped it from his very flesh. Weapons drawn, Wrath turned to Frederick and prepared to charge.

"Brother!" shouted Envy. "I am not your enemy, we are one and the same. Go now and take out your righteous ire against those who oppose your will. Destroy them not just on the field of battle, but where they sleep and work and play."

Wrath looked at Envy and saw that it was indeed his Brother under the skin of the man in front of him. He glanced to the small furry creature on his should and felt himself calm a bit.
"You are right brother,” said Wrath. “I have many enemies to destroy but even more anger to awaken. There is a better place than this city for me to be..."

With that, he charged into the nearby teleporter and vanished.

Envy bent to gather up the Grimoire. He was surprised by the turn of events, but pleased that things had gone so well. Envy placed the ledger around the book and glanced down at the appointments written on top of the ledger. Apparently, he had a meeting with the King to attend and he mustn't be late....

Lust

Envy walked for some time to reach the edge of the encampment. He knew the soldiers from the battle against the Horsemen were still being treated in field hospitals as their numbers were too great and their wounds too grievous to be transported back to the city. He was surprised that the Grimoire had drawn him here, to the sick and wounded, in search of the next host. He was glad that his supernatural strength allowed him to carry the tome even with the tiny limbs that the chiprel body possessed.


Envy found a temporary structure, not much more than a hastily erected wooden frame and awnings. There were several holes in the awnings that served as windows, letting the rays of sunlight inside and the stench of slow death and sounds of suffering escape from within its canvas walls. The deamon in disguise heard a melodic voice softly singing from within and, after tucking the book away in the crevice of a nearby tree, scurried up to one of the makeshift windows.


The chiprel peered silently over the ragged edge of the hole and saw a lovely woman tending to the wounds of the soldiers. Her very aura seemed to help them heal faster and both man and beast welcomed her soothing touch. Barely aware of it at first, Envy began to notice that he too was gaining strength back, revitalized by simply being near this creature. Surely, she was the source of the healing, not the herbs and poultices that she applied to the wounds of the injured. Her crimson and white robes hid her lovely features, but her red hair slipped from under the cowl. He was shocked when he realized who this was. Envy was once Parasite, the drainer of life and strength, and this woman was his antithesis. She was directly linked to all of the fruits of life and the world tree itself helped to sustain her. This was the Empath and her power was legendary before the coming of the Hellbourne.


She was but a fraction of her former self. The scars that the deamons had torn throughout the world cut her deeply and drained her spirit away. In her prime, she would have immediately sensed the presence of Envy but as she stood now, she could only tend to the wounds of those nearby and strengthen their souls. Envy watched as she finished tending to the wounded, made her way out of the tent and began walking through the encampment. He gathered his tome and followed her as she left the safety of the shelter, moving gracefully through the underbrush as if she was one with Nature itself.


As Envy trailed Empath through the forest he found the underbrush growing less dense and soon heard the sound of a waterfall in the distance. He moved out from the undergrowth into a clearing that ended at the edge of a beautiful pool which formed at the base of the roaring falls. A small stream led from the pool and at that junction of pool and stream, just barely removed from the mists generated by the water falling from above sat the Empath on a smooth stone bench. Even over the sound of the water, he could hear her weeping. Envy’s smile filled the entirety of the chiprel’s face and he moved closer to her to speak.


“Milady Empath, why do you weep when there is so much beauty around us?”asked the deamon with an innocent sincerity. “Surely you can find joy in this den of life.”


She wiped her tears from her cheeks and smiled at the chiprel. “Oh such innocence from the creatures of Sol is to be commended in these dark days. I am sorry youngling, but I have seen much sorrow these past weeks and feel the pain of the World Tree so strongly that even in these places where nature's magic is strongest, I can still lose myself to grief. Forgive me for my negative emotions, as I mean not to convey them to you.”


Envy looked around and noticed for the first time that all of the trees and reeds were bent slightly as though in pain and sorrow. Across the pond, two black swans had placed their heads under their wings and even the dragonflies had stopped fluttering to and fro and were resting on the lily pads in the pond. Apparently, her mood was contagious… if only Envy were capable of remorse.


“It’s okay. I can see why you were sad. I have heard tales from the ancient nut-gatherers that you once were so strong you could spread joy through an entire wood merely by stepping into the tree line. That at one time, you were in touch with every creature in Newerth and you could feel the life force of each creature as it ebbed and flowed through the planet. I can only imagine how that must have been.”


“Little Chiprel, if you could only know the blessing and curse that is my existence. I have indeed felt every birth and every death on this planet since days lost to history. Lately it has been so much death and so little birth… the planet herself is wounded by this war. If only I could heal the scars. If only I could help them all finish this battle and let the healing begin anew.”


“What is your desire Empath? How would you fix this?” asked the deamon.


“The only way to change it would be to touch them all at once...to be inside each and every one of them. To make them feel the passion I feel for protection. To make them all care enough to stop fighting and simply love one another again.”


As she spoke, the chiprel opened the tome and read the words that glowed blue on the page. The magic was so powerful that he felt it pour out from the earth itself. A blue mist sprung from the ground near the Empath.


“Chiprel, what have you done to me? What is this I feel so strongly? I am burning up inside!”


She quickly dropped her robes to the ground and leapt into the water of the pool, attempted to quash the fires burning deep inside her. These were not physical flames, but instead the burning desire she had within, unleashed in its primordial form. She thrashed in the water, overcome by the passions that had been unlocked for several minutes before breaking the surface and moving slowly toward the shoreline again. Her voluptuous form was quickly clad in the blue mists: once, twice and then three times. Each time the mist touched her body, it left behind a layer of its magic and strengthened her again. When she fully stepped on the shore, she reached down and grabbed one of the swans that were still entranced from her earlier sorrow and plucked the long feathers from its tail and wing.


“No beast should have something that beautiful and not share it with me.”She placed the feathers in her hair and adorned her mystical vestments with them as well.
“Empath, you have changed,” said the chiprel that was Envy.


“Never again will I be forced to feel the pain of others. Instead, I will enter each of them and unlock their yearnings. Empath is no more, only desire. Only Lust remains.”

Envy smiled that full faced smile again and spoke, “Excellent. Make them feel, beautiful Lust. Make them all know the passion that you feel. I will find you once the rest of our brethren have been reborn.”


Lust moved back toward the field hospital. Envy gathered his tome and followed her out of the woods. As Envy passed the encampment he heard the sounds of carnal debauchery from within. He felt his power grow again as he headed off toward the City of Iron.

[xanderK]

Pride

Jeraziah sat on the top of the dais in a throne made of brass and iron. Next to him sat the empty throne made of wood and bone that belonged to his sister, Ophelia, although she rarely spent any time there. She was much too busy keeping the beast tribes in order and moving throughout the kingdom to be bothered with any of the details of keeping the Domain of Man safe and running smooth enough to keep the demons at bay.

“It’s best that she not be here in any case,” he thought as he looked over to the empty throne. “After all, her place is among her own people, and even after all these years they do not know much more about running in civilization than they did before. Thank Sol for their numbers on the battlefield, but they have little place among civilized men.”

He was already frustrated from the morning’s reports of raids on some of the outlying farms. Not every beast was willing to let the old ways die, nor was every man willing to see them as more than savages.This was Newerth's eternal problem… not man vs. demon, but man vs. beast. Although he had come to love his sister, her people were always so unwilling to adapt to the new ways and embrace the progress that they had made. How it frustrated him to know that Sol offered these primitives a better path and they refused to walk it!

The herald entered the room to call out the afternoon’s visitors-- the usual parade of dignitaries, generals, and petitioners it seemed-- and then took his place at the king’s right hand, took up his quill and began to record the day's procedures. As the day continued to drag on and on, the herald sensed the restlessness of Jeraziah and spoke to him between visitors.

“My Lord, forgive me if I speak out of turn, but I sense you are troubled. How may one as lowly as I ease your burden?”

“Ah Fredrick, my good man, you are neither lowly nor out of turn. These meetings simply drain the energy from me. I seek to experience life in the field with my men, not administer it from within the walls of the city.”

The herald spoke again, “True enough my lord, surely the best place for the 'Last Hope of Mankind' is not here in the throne room. Your place is on the field, leading the heroes of Newerth to glory against your father and the demons he commands. “

“Soon enough I will join my men again… once this tedium is done,” Jeraziah sighed. “Soon enough…”

“My Lord, a warrior as great as you does not need to be tied down to these proceedings. Surely you could appoint someone else to hear these complaints! You belong in the temple of Sol, basking in the glory of the maker. You are his chosen champion, the bringer of light, the champion of the meek, righter of wrongs, and keeper of peace. You are the sole hope of humankind to prevail against the hordes of the Hellbourne.” Frederick continued singing the praises of Jeraziah for several minutes, each compliment building on the last.

As the herald continued with the stream of commendations, Jeraziah could not help but admire the many titles his people had placed on him over the years. His mind wandered back to the battles of his past, the war with the beasts, the betrayal of his father, the many battles fought against the demons since. Truly if any other had stood in his place, mankind surely would have fallen. His attention was caught by his reflection in his shield. He reached down and picked up the sturdy bulwark, not noticing that Frederick’s face has twisted into a contorted grin. From the pages of the tome on the pedestal a inky purple smoke emerged, swirling near the feet of the king and rising to engulf him.

“Frederick? What is this?” asked Jeriziah as he saw the smoke near his reflection in the shield.

Inside of his own mind Frederick screamed back that is was not his doing, he had no control, but the voice of his trusted manservant spoke with the words that Envy choose for him. “My Lord, this is merely the reflection of your own vast arrogance. Always under the surface it was there. Just like your father before you. Destined to rule those lesser than yourself, always knowing that man and beast should bow to you. This is your vanity given life. Your pride will be your undoing.”

Jeriziah’s eyes were drawn back to his shield as Envy spoke. The symbol of Sol had been replaced by a mirror that had captured his reflection. His armor took on the purple color of the smoke and the metal fringe took on a glossed finish. Even his sword could now capture his reflection. The magic had done its work. Jeriziah looked back at his reflection in the shield, the waning light of the sun flitering in from the stained glass window behind him.

“Cancel my appointments for the rest of the week Frederick. I think I deserve to spend some time with someone worthy of my presence for a while… me.” And with that Jeriziah turned back to his shield and began speaking to the man in the mirror.

Envy smiled again, “As you wish my lord.” The creature gathered the tome and left the throne room to clear the schedule of the king…and watch as the kingdom began its slow descent into chaos.

Sloth

Envy left Hell’s Keep and began traveling toward the City of Iron wearing the skin of the legionnaire to ward off the attention of the Legion scouts. The book that his master, Maliken, had given him guided him toward the next unwitting avatar. He marched for four days and nights without ceasing or breaking for food or water. The demon did not feel the pain of the body he inhabited and did not notice the bloodied and blistered feet of his host until his gait began to falter. Noticing the strength of his body beginning to fail as dehydration and fatigue took its toll, Envy decided that he no longer needed this form and destroyed it from the inside out, tearing free of its flesh. Envy always relished the sensation of terror as his host felt the demon emerging from his flesh. The demon longed for the exquisite pain of death and release that he could never have. That was his curse-- to always want to be released from the pain behind his wicked grin.

The Grimoire had indicated this was the place to stop and thus he did. He sensed the life in the forest around him and was sickened by its energy. The demon was about to move on when he heard a noise from deeper inside the foliage. The tome pulled him in the direction of the noise and Envy followed its lead.

“Ah-Choo!”

The great beast sneezed and its snot covered the trees nearby. Several birds and small animals ran out covered in goo.

“Sorry creatures. I did not mean to get you all grimy. I am still allergic to all this fighting it seems.”

The spine covered behemoth sat on a stump in a small clearing, leaning his massive flail against a nearby tree. He stretched and yawned. When he brought his hand down he saw that a small furry creature was sitting at his feet.

The chiprel placed its goggles on its head and spoke, “What troubles you Armadon? What are you longing for today?”

“It is funny that you ask, friend chiprel. I was just thinking back to the days before the war. Long afternoons of sunning myself without a care in the world, watching the birds build nests in the trees and butterflies sip nectar from the flowers,” said Armadon. “The time of peace, when I did not have to be of two minds, one at war and one wishing it away. When men could venture forth with beasts and there was harmony. A time of rest. That is what I am longing for little chiprel, a time of rest.”

“Then why not take a moment and let yourself enjoy the peace of this clearing,” said the chiprel. “Surely there is no threat to one as powerful as you in these serene woods. You deserve a break from all of this fighting and war.”

“I do not know,” said Armadon. “I have responsibilities to the Legion. I should be on my way soon.”

The chiprel looked slightly confused. “But certainly you can rest for just a short while. Your responsibilities can wait while you get what you truly deserve. You never asked for this war and you tried to stay out of it.”

The armored beast wrinkled his brow in thought and dismissing his concerns he spoke again, “True enough. A little rest will not hurt anything. I do deserve some time for myself. The war will still be there when I wake up.”

And the great Armadon lay his head on the stump he was resting on and drifted off to sleep.

The chiprel bound off into the bushes and pulled out a great book. With a wicked grin on his face he opened the pages and began to read aloud the ancient script. Quickly, a black mist filled the clearing, seeping into the crevices of the hide and around the spines of the ancient Armadon. Its ancient skin began to crack and crumble, letting the summoned sin take full hold of the beast.

When the mist cleared, Armadon was no more. In his place was a slumbering behemoth of two minds-- literally. Each head snored loudly in the forest. Over the next several days one would wake and try to rouse the other, who would refuse to move and thus the beast was unable to leave the clearing. Each time the heads could not agree, the small blue cyst on its back grew a bit larger and more imbedded in its hide, holding it even more firmly in place. The nearby birds began to gather on his back, picking at the insects that were now collecting on the beast. They began to nest in the safety of the shadow of the stone and calling back and forth to one another.

The chiprel sat and watched for the beast to finally awaken. The Grimoire did not bid him to move on, so he waited and watched its power grow. Finally after 6 days his patience was exhausted and it gathered the nuts fallen from the trees nearby and began to throw them at the great beast’s heads. First one eye, then another, then a third and finally a fourth eye opened. Both heads looked at one another, shrugged and struggled to its feet. Ignoring the flail sitting there it reached over and grabbed a great fallen log. The beast then turned back to the chiprel that contained the demon Envy and spoke, slowly and deliberately,

“You have woken the mighty Sloth” said the first head.

The second head yawned in response. “Who are you to wake us?”

Envy scampered up to the shoulder of the ogre and whispered in the ear of the first head who laughed aloud and whispered into the ear of the second. Envy burst free from the chiprel to refresh his strength.

“Go now Sloth. I will gather the rest of our brethren,” said Envy.

The Grimoire glowed with power for a moment as Envy gathered it up with his massive claw. Sloth lumbered off toward Hell’s Keep and Envy went back to the path towards the City of Iron, following the call of corruption…

Envy

As Maliken turned the decrepit pages, he began to understand the power contained within. Each of these basal desires could hold a powerful sway over the masses, if only used by the right wielder. He knew that perhaps the most powerful force was the one most capable of corrupting others and that was Envy-- a force that even the great king himself knew too well. It was the coveting of power that made young Maliken take his first treacherous steps toward corruption.


He bound down the stairs of the Cathedral and entered the filthy streets of Hell’s Keep. The scent of death and decay permeated the city and the cries of anguish from the dungeons below the surface echoed from the sewers.


Maliken’s mind drifted off in delight at the screams and cries of pain. As he thought of the many ways to break an enemy, his mind fell to one of his favorites and suddenly it dawned on him. Make them watch as those they love are lost to them. Not killed per say, but corrupted and twisted into a mockery of what they once were.


There was only one creature that found purpose in taking everything from someone in such a fashion. It could not only make friends betray another but also force the helpless being to watch everything that they did, unable to stop it. One creature who coveted so much he would even steal enchantments before wearing the very flesh that once hung from your bones as his own. That creature was Parasite and he was the living embodiment of Envy. Maliken strode quickly to the dungeons and found the demon there in the darkness.


“Your power is nothing compared to what I can offer you. You can corrupt the souls of men, turn their hearts away from the things held dear and make them covet those things that are just beyond their grasp,”said Maliken. “I will give you power to warp their vision and cloud their minds so all they see is that which they cannot possess. I will grant you the power to plant the seed of Sin in the hearts of Men. Will you take it, demon?”


There was only one whispered word in response.


“Yesssss….”


Parasite suddenly seized with power as Maliken channeled the dark energies from the tome into the creature's demonic body. A cloud of dark green mist poured into the chamber and where once a mere demon stood, there was instead the primal essence of Sin – not seen since the first fall of Man. A wicked grin formed over its face as it contemplated the scope of its new abilities. Nearby, a captured legionnaire laid on a torture rack and Envy, still grinning widely, leapt into the wailing soldier's body.


Maliken broke the bonds holding the prisoner to the rack and he tumbled to the floor. The legionnaire struggled to his feet, but fed by the power of Envy found his wounds knitting shut. The once great Legion warrior realized that he was now a prisoner within his own body and his eyes seemed to scream with terror as a green haze fell over his vision. His mouth twisted into a wicked grin as Maliken leaned over and whispered the names the others who were ripe to fall. Envy walked over and picked up the effects of the prisoner – his massive axe and the hood he wore to cover the features of the keeper of law. Maliken handed him the tome and sent him out of the dungeons, on the road to the City of Iron. As Envy hurried off, Maliken’s mouth twisted into a wicked grin of its own.

The Story of the Sins

There lay the Forsaken Archer... and there the Kraken. The beast Gemini has not far off and then the Arachnid Queen. At last, his Electrician, and the demon Balphagore.

They had given up their essence to support his righteous cause. His vanquished foes – Legionnaires, Pyromancers, Scouts and a Valkyrie-- had fallen by the score. Had it not been for the sacrifice of the warrior Flux, surely the leader of the Legion, Maliken's son Jeraziah, would be dead by his demonic blade as well. Content in his victory, Maliken became his human form once again, shedding the essences of his followers. The Horsemen stood before him, weakened, but alive.

“My warriors, go forth and tell the hordes of our victory,” said the great lord of the Hellbourne. “Bring them to me and let us march on my accursed son and daughter. They may have escaped the battlefield today, but they shall not escape the power of the Apocalypse! Let us bring forth the end of all things! Death, War, Pestilence and Famine will spread over all of Newerth! The Conquest shall begin!”

The horsemen bowed before their master and then set off on his bidding. Maliken turned and headed to Hell’s Keep to gather the rest of his generals. As he departed, one of the fallen Legion warriors struggled to his feet. Wiping away the gore from his mines and turrets, the Engineer looked about the bloody plain and was struck with an idea...


Meanwhile, in the fabled City of Iron, Jeraziah addressed his commanders.

“Thanks to the sacrifice of Flux, we were able to escape with our lives, but not without cost. Our friend has fallen to the sword of Maliken and the great Valkyrie did not return with us from the field of battle. Even the Engineer has vanished. My father has grown even more powerful, and it is inevitable that he shall attack once he gathers his forces. Ready yourselves my warriors. Gather the men and beasts. Call upon the Prophets and prepare to Rally to our cause! The wretched horsemen wield power over life and death itself and we need to be prepared.”

At that moment, the door to the hall swung open and a squat figure stood, bathed in the light coming from the fires outside. Jeraziah smiled when he saw who it was. The man who had designed the Legion's weapons of war dropped a bloodied sack to the ground and the distinct sound of steel ringing off the stone hung in the air.

With a weary voice, the Engineer said, “Bring me the Blacksmith and the Bombardier… and I need a forge…”

The hours turned into days and the Blacksmith hammered without ceasing. His calloused hands were scorched by the metal and yet he toiled on. Plates were formed in all manners of form and function, according to the direction of the Engineer. The Bombardier worked the saws, turning plates into cogs and gears, while the Engineer spun gold and copper into a network of wires and conduits. Soon his vision began to take form.


Jeraziah looked on with amazement at what stood before him. Just a few days ago, he had doubted that Engineer's plan could've worked at all. When the weapons for Artillery were salvaged, Jeraziah knew that the Engineer was capable of great things but this went far beyond anything he had ever seen.

Before him stood new visions of those who had fallen before his own blade and shells of the warriors who had died defending him: an Arachna made of Brass, a Balphagore forged of Iron, a mechanized Gemini, an archer made from clockwork cogs, a Kraken recreated from the steel diving suits of the Era of Man, and an electrician made of the corroded copper plates from the ancient statue from the harbor. There was also a scout, who was wounded in the battle and was willing to have machines grafted to his body and be reborn as a new Valkyrie, ready to continue the fight and strike fear into the Daemons. Finally, there stood a new body for Flux. Formed from magnetized Iron and ringed with fragments from his original chassis that the Engineer believed could attract his soul back to the shell.

“While those Horsemen have power of life and death… they do not have power over man and machine,” said the Engineer as he whipped the sweat from his brow.

“When they bring their forces to bear, we will attack them with their own generals and create chaos in their ranks,” said Jeraziah. “I just pray to Sol that your new machines are as effective as Flux was in battling the Horsemen themselves.”

And so the forces of the Legion rode forth with Jeraziah at the head of the army to meet the fallen King Maliken and his Horsemen in yet another brutal battle. The armies finally clashed in the Great Plains near the southern Forest of Caldevar. The men and beast attacked the hordes with a ferocity not seen in years, driven by desperation and fear for what the Horsemen were capable of. Their courage pushed the daemons and traitors back to the edge of the Forest…and then the Horsemen appeared.

War strode into the Legion army and transformed a horrific beast. With his hellhounds at his side, men fell by the dozen. Nearby, Pestilence sent his plagues of flesh devouring insects to decimate the armies of men. Famine walked among the beasts, his very touch emaciating their bodies and draining them of life and vitality. And finally Death took the field, his double scythed sword reaping the souls of those who dared to stand against him. Atop his white stallion, Conquest watched and began to smile for the first time in a very long time as his forces took control of the battlefield.

Then the belching of smoke filled the air and that smile quickly vanished. An iron behemoth roared onto the field of battle, devouring the corpses of the fallen and spitting new warriors out to face the hordes of Conquest. Like a living crematorium, the mechanized Balphagore burned a swath towards the Horsemen. The daemons were struck with fear at the sight of their former ally devouring their fellow soldiers and discord set in. War rode to the front to challenge the interloper only to be stopped by another attacker – Mecha Gemini had entered the fray. The newcomer fought against the Hounds of Hell while Balphagore and War faced off amidst the widespread destruction.

On the far side of the field, Pestilence's waves of insects fell upon a great spider. Their mandibles were unable to pierce her brass hide. The metallic spider seemed to almost smile as she bore down upon the Horseman. Her webbing slowed his frantic retreat as her steel spiderling leapt on the insect-like steed. Soon the Horseman was barely moving as the great spider spun her inescapable web.

Near the Forest of Caldevar, Famine withered both plant and beast. Suddenly a pool opened underfoot and great metallic tentacles swept forth. The horseman leapt aside, only to find himself held aloft in a great electrical grip as the steam powered warrior that was once an Electrician pummeled at his thin form. Soon the tentacles of the Kraken reached him as well.

The mighty Death stood among the fallen and watched as the archers bore down on him. He waded into their midst, taking their souls and gaining power with every touch. Then the bright orange form of Valkyrie was upon him, followed by the brass skeletons of the Clockwork Archer. His deathly touch was ineffective against these metal foes. Arrows and javelins rained upon the skeletal rider and he fell apart under their assault.

Conquest’s smile turned to rage as he surveyed the field of battle. How could these machines be stopping his avatars of the apocalypse? He reached out to his warriors and recalled their power once again – transforming into the mighty demon, Conquest, and strode to face these mere machines in battle. Where the machines were able to fend the powers of the lone horseman off, they were no match for the mighty Conquest. Pieces of both man and machine stuck to the ridges of his blade as his fury was unleashed on the battlefield.

Suddenly he was stopped mid-swing by a beam of pink energy. Conquest spun to see his son standing side by side with a Flux made of iron and blue steel. He swung his mighty blade to strike the warrior down a third time, but it fell short, stopped by the protective charm that Jeraziah had placed on the man of metal. Conquest pulled back to strike again, only to be blasted by a beam of blue force from Flux’s palm and a beam of light that burst down from the clouds at the behest of his son. The Blessing of Sol and the power of Flux stripped away the power that Conquest had stolen from his Horseman, and Maliken stood where the mighty Horseman was mere moments ago.

“Damn you child!” said Maliken as he stood before his son.

Quickly, Maliken was joined by his former horsemen and began to fall back. As they moved away from Jeraziah and his metal protector the forces of the Legion pushed back against the horde and the daemons began to flee into the Forest of Caldevar.

The day was not won by either side. Hundreds lay dead on the battlefield. The war machines that engineer had crafted had been destroyed. The fields ran red with blood and had been blackened by fire, but on this day Man and Beast stood together again to ensure that their sons and daughters would see another sunrise. The soldiers will be mourned, but new warriors will rise to take their places, the machines of war can be rebuilt, and today the mead will flow in the halls of Valhalla.

In Hell’s Keep, Maliken seethed in anger. His chambers had been destroyed earlier in the day by his own hand and he left their reconstruction to his servants. He found himself back in the Ancient Cathedral, delving back through decaying tomes to seek new power. He saw the look of pride on the Legion's warriors and it served to make his wrath grow even stronger. He lusted for revenge against those that envied his power. He knew that greed and sloth could be the downfall of man, but needed a way to tap into their gluttonous ways. If man would not fall before his blades, then perhaps they would fall to their own flawed selves…

Then the dark lord made a discovery that gave him hope...

“There were seven great Virtues that man once upheld. For each of these Virtues, a demon rose to hold them in balance. When mankind fails to uphold the virtue, the demons will rise and Sin will consume the word and corrupt the pure.”

Temptation, power and a plan now were in Maliken’s grasp once again. He closed the tome and somewhere far away, the World Tree shuddered…

[[RCT]Reldnahc]

Cooleo

[[RCT]SyleSpawn]

Its so well written, I'm loving it. I like how they are including the new alt (Executioner Legionnaire) in the story. It really adds more depth to the hero. I'm just looking forward to see what's going to happen with the next Sin.

[MudButt17]

I thought parasite was... A parasite, made from the enzymes deep within the earth. When did he become a demon?

[[T4py]Greksen]

He became a demon , once maliken put envy in him , by combinating the power of the tomb with parasite.

[[Wen]mouyad1999]

its really long i cant read all these !!!!

[[ABA]Token]

Loving the story, great detail and thought are going into these snippets =D

[[RCT]SyleSpawn]

its really long i cant read all these !!!!

Either you don't read it and you miss the depth of those heroes or you read it and find out why those new alts are the way they are. I've personally find the reading enjoyable and hoping to see more of this on a weekly basis as the Sins are released.

[[AUW]Seah0rse]

I really like the avatar artwork and the story associated but "per say"? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to nitpick but maybe future passages need more proofreading :\

[Caliphus]

when will the next sin appear? next week or parasite alt must get sold out COMPLETELY first?

[[IaF]Juao]

I didn't like the look of it T-T! Too bad cuz Envy is one of my fav 7 deadly sins. BTW if LUST is not an alt avatar for Succubus I'm quitting this shiaat xD!

[Raptorbones]

I'll say this, That art is awesome. The ingame model is pretty god as well.

[CowxDD]

Do we get anything for buying all of them?

[[tWB]Ethannn]

really really good, good in all aspects i thoroughly enjoyed reading keep it up

[[tWB]Ethannn]

i hope its sin

[Katieeee]

Do we get anything for buying all of them?

If you purchase all seven, each of them will get a special effect as a reward. *_*

[[HCG2]LandFish]

If you purchase all seven, each of them will get a special effect as a reward. *_*

Special effect? Wp S2. Wp.

[ChaosXan]

Didn't know where to ask this so I'll post it here.

Do we still get a symbol if we buy Envy right now? I think 3 days have passed but not sure since it's kinda different than other alt avatars.

[Katieeee]

Didn't know where to ask this so I'll post it here.

Do we still get a symbol if we buy Envy right now? I think 3 days have passed but not sure since it's kinda different than other alt avatars.

Yep, you still do!