A pair of shadow arms braided her silky, moonlight white hair. When it was done, the arms gestured at its finishing touch. It was a little loose and messy, but it was better than letting the hair slap her face. Ethel pulled the braided hair over her shoulder. Her moonlight hair was the only thing she could be proud of. White was the color of pure and innocence. It reflected the moon that shone the brightest in the night. However, the luminary thought it was a trick to gain mortal's trust.
"How long has it been?" She reminisced about her first awakening. Awake in an open field of golden valley with no memory. Clueless about what the world thought of her. Ethel walked along the golden field until she reached a nearby village. It didn't take her long to learn the mortal's hatred once they threw rocks at her and hurled curses at her.
"What will you do now?" A scarlet butterfly of four-winged flew around her. Two voices resonated. Ethel preferred calling them the Twin.
"Remember about the stupid plan." Ethel poked the Fiery Flame butterfly. "You naively thought about having a peaceful talk with the mortals and sent a letter tied with a red ribbon. Everyone thought you lost your mind but Pride…" Ethel paused. "He was once on your side. Following along with the plan so we can finally be free to walk among them. To be forgiven for our first sin that we've forgotten."
"Mortal talked about the First Sin all the time, but neither of us remembers what the First Sin was." The Twin flew in a spiral.
"Find the Moon's Blood," the Silk butterfly suggested.
"And then what? The Moon's blood is indestructible. We can't protect it, and they'll only find it eventually," The Fiery Flame argued.
Ethel turned her gaze in the direction where the luminary was. "I can't fight this battle alone, nor do I have the will to fight it. Aranea is right. I can't win this. Why fight it when I can just stop now and go back to my sleep?" Her shadows turned to her. "The luminary surely can end the war better than me." She smiled up at the sky.
Yeah, why am I even trying? This world—Erdalia, the people, the sinners—they don't need me here.
"You can't die unless the luminary." The Twin stopped and fell on top of her head. "You can't possibly plan to—"
"It's the quickest way." Ethel brushed its wings with her fingertip. The abyssal butterflies held many memories of the past. They were a mirror of her past. Each had its beauties, but the scars reminded her more of the painful memories than the good ones. "I wonder what kind of shadow will I be in the next fate?"
***
The crackling sound of burning wood woke him up. Luther opened his eyes. The morning dawn greeted him. He winced at the pounding pain in his head. A hand instinctively held where the wound was. Instead of greeting the sky, he saw a wooden ceiling. A soft cocoon cradles his head instead of hard rocky ground. Nobody was around. He dug through his memories before passing out. Luther rang the bell on the table.
The door swung open, knocking a nearby frame fell from the wall. Vincent, the young red-haired man, rushed inside, heaving a heavy breath. "Captain?!"
Luther raised his hand and told Vincent to calm down.
Vincent fell on his knee. "Sir Luther, why did you leave without us? Next time, please bring at least ten of us. The sinner is not a foe you can face alone."
Luther scratched the back of his head. He never expected his absence would let to such trouble for his men. Before leaving on his chase, he left the matter of Havenbarrow to Vincent. He barely got back on his own. If not for the citizens, he could have died by his own recklessness. Luther mentally reminded himself to reflect on such actions after this.
"I'm glad you're back and safe."
Luther knocked his knuckles on the table. A flat hand on his chin and gestured forward. A gesture of gratitude for Vincent's work while he's away.
"Please, there's no need for such praise. I was only doing what you commanded me."
Luther was fortunate to gain a reliable partner on his side. Despite his inability to communicate properly, Vincent didn't push him away like every previous partner assigned to him. The young man was the first one who came up with the idea of a unique signal for them to use.
He knocked on the table three times. Vincent stood up straight. His face shifted from joy to a hardened mask. He continued on, giving a brief report on the Resville. The moment they arrived in Resville, they cleared up the chaos the two sinners left behind and tended the scarred souls. The residents thought the abyss had its eyes on Resville. Vincent confirmed that this was a coincidence. However, the citizens planned on leaving the town after the battle of two sinners.
I guess they knew nothing about friendship. And yet…
Wrath's crimson eyes ached as she watched Sloth being devoured by her own crimson flame. She held a gaze of sadness similar to that of a mortal.
He once saw paintings of the Wrath's depiction in the Lumina Cathedral. A demon held a pair of red blood eyes shrouded in black shadowy mist. An unearthly creature came from the abyss and took on the disguise of a woman. He shivered whenever he glanced at the painting. Until yesterday, he finally met eye to eye with the nightmare. The silvery moonlight strands swayed in the blazing crimson flame. The ashes blanketed her lone figure. Luther only saw a being trying to defend herself, even if it meant using the people around her as hostages.
He clenched his fist, stopping himself from thinking any deeper.
She's a sinner. Don't fall over to her tricks.
While Vincent continued with his report, Luther unwrapped the white bandage on his mouth. Lips stitched shut with a golden thread. After a year, the bruise blackened the flesh. A slight movement of his jaw tugged the golden thread tighter, forever sealing his voice. Luther took a handful of water from the basin, splashing his face with the freezing cold water. The trick woke him up and eased a little of the headache.
Vincent handed him a glass of water. Luther clasped his hands together and bowed his head to the glass before him.
May this sustenance reach where my lips cannot part.
Please spare me one more day in the darkness.
So I may do the work of Heaven.
The water evaporated into thin air, emptying the glass. He can only consume food and drink through his miracle prayer. Though it does not deliver the same taste as the source intended to have. Luther was grateful enough just to have his stomach filled and thirst quenched.
"We sent a report on this incident to the Order. With five of the seven sinners having returned, soon war will ravage the land. Again, the people will lose more. We must return to Lovidel for the preparation."
The door slammed open. A knight panted heavily as he held the doorknob to support himself.
"Where are your manners?" Vincent shouted.
"The sinner," the knight's hand shook on the doorknob. "The devil is here."
Before Vincent could ask, Luther swiftly wrapped his mouth. He grabbed his sword and bells, throwing the blue cloak behind his back. Together with the knight and Vincent, he dashed outside.