The disciples of The Seven Sins (Short stories)

Envy

As I open the door I feel something eating at the back of my mind like I was being drawn to something. I glance towards the object and as always I'm hit by a presence more powerful than the masters... no... this was no vision but rather something seeking me out yet again. It was merely a multi colored nearly transparent crystal but its content was what held me now. It's as if I am caught in the clutches of a giant "kill him" I hear voices whispering in languages i do not know but I understand their intent as clearly as I would my own thoughts. My eyes and nose feel as though they're about to burst. Blood leaks from my nostrils as something finally gave.

"kill him and take his staff here to me." I heard from another direction just as scattered and just as mind piercing as the first "You shall be rewarded"

"Become the Champion of envy" a thousand voices boomed at me as my breathing quickened and I felt myself trembling as I realized what I was staring at. It was a fragment of the patron sin envy. Even as a fraction it's power seemed boundless and unending as if I was staring through the space between galaxies and yet somehow it felt broken and frail in comparison to what it could be.

My blood ran cold and my eyes bled joining the flow of crimson from my nostrils "REBUILD ME"

I feel myself dropped from its clutches as abruptly as it assaulted my mind and i nearly collapse to my knees as reality suddenly feels far more overwhelming than usual. Blood still dripping onto the floor from my eyes and nose. I stumbled back quivering as somehow I felt changed. I looked at the object that had assaulted my mind. It was a semi transparent crystal with blue, purple red hues dancing through it. Just seeing it hurt the eyes as if needles were being pushed into my retinas. I force myself to reach out and touch it. I closed my my eyes as I reached out.

As one of my remaining un mutated fingers touched the magic dense crystal something unexpected happened. I had expected more pain, another psychic assault, maybe even death but instead... instead I suddenly felt relief.

Arguably this was somehow more unsettling than when I had felt pain. I didn't have a chance to ponder this again as I opened my eyes and saw I was no longer in the Rune sealed room. My heightened senses told me that this had to be a vision but it all felt so real. Too real. I was standing on the edge of a jagged cliff looking out over a shattered realm intertwined with the cosmos. I glanced at my hands and my eyes widened

In my right I held a scythe I'd never seen before made from a staff and the crystal in my but my right hand... it was completely free of mutations

I was normal for the first time since before I was taken all those years ago. I looked behind me and saw a city spanning into the distance and it's spires reached high enough into the skies to go out of view. I could see banners depicting magic symbols and lights shining from it like a beacon in this place "you made this"

I snapped my head in the direction of the voice but was met by nothing but open air. I realized it was in my head, the same unified voice that had assaulted my mind earlier but nowhere near as overwhelming "you shall make this after you complete my shattered form and I shall gift you with the infinite knowledge to build this place. A herald of Envy shall deserve no less" the voice said as the vision fades bringing me back to reality as the scent of mold and death returns to my nostrils

I was holding the fragment of Envy now. It's power thrumming as it's shape slowly changes almost like fluid as it encompasses my hand, I show no resistance as the crystal substances coats my forearm forming a uniform crystal gauntlet. I pulled my cloaks sleeve down to hide it fully.