Greed

"This guy again," Midas groaned.

The unknown male remained still, but in stance. His hatchet and dagger was gripped tightly in each hand, looking ready to strike. His face read nothing but diligence and determination. Midas began to make his way back down towards him.

"Abel, go inside and look for the gem."

"You aren't coming with me?"

"No, I'll hold this guy off."

"This guy 'again'...?" Abel wondered about what Midas said. He wondered if it was the same man that chased him earlier.

"Midas, are you sure? He has a weapon too. He seems dangerous..."

Midas looked back at him, smirking. "Trust me, I can handle this."

Unassured but convinced, Abel turned around and ran up the steps entering through the temple entrance. This left Midas and the unknown male alone.

"Don't get innocents involved in this matter," the male said.

"That's awfully funny to hear," Midas laughs. "I know what I want, and I'm getting what I want. It's as simple as that."

"I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen." The male slides his foot back.

Midas rolls his eyes, keeping hold of his growing smirk.

Suddenly perplexed, the male lunges towards him.

Elsewhere, inside the temple, Abel anxiously wandered in search of the gem. The interior felt much larger than it had looked on the outside. Wide halls connected various open rooms that contained mini shrines. But the gem was out of the question. Nothing spoke out of the ordinary. The temple seemed completely normal.

Abel took his device out to scan the screen. He saw that his icon was right over the question mark indicator, meaning he found himself in the right place. But he searched every bit of the area, and he came up with empty hands.

"Where is it?"

Abel started revisiting each room making sure he didn't miss anything. This time he tried to feel with his hands in hopes of finding a clue of some sort. Running his hand across a rug in one of the rooms, Abel felt a small bump underneath. It was the outline of a circle. He pulled the rug aside which revealed a small trap door with a circular handle. Abel thought this had to be where the gem was. He reached for the handle, pulling the door open. Through the hole was a rope ladder that ended in a dimly lit room. Abel safely climbed down.

The room contained a single torch, with an exit that led out. Abel walked through the stone corridors that were lined with rows of torches. It was a one-way, that took right and left turns. Eventually, the passage came to an inevitable end—another open room with high ceilings. Inside, still lit by torches, was an elevated platform. Steep steps lead to the top, and upon reaching, was a stand. The stand firmly held a purple glowing gem in place. Abel had finally found what he was looking for.

Abel reached for the gem, and in the instant of grabbing it, lost its glow.

"Specialized Phase C has been completed. A contender has retrieved the gem."

The mundane voice that first came from the sky now echoed within the temple's underground room. Abel felt a buzz from the device in his pocket. The purple gem in his left hand, he pulled the device out using his right. The screen was lit with words. It read:

{ The Trinity Gem - A powerful gem that enables its user to choose an already dead contender to be resurrected. Can only be activated if the full name of chosen contender is stated. }

Abel was sparked with pure confusion.

"Dead contender? Resurrected? What?!"

Every attempt Abel has made so far to reach for answers has only made him beg for more. What Abel thought would be the revelation of his world was more so unsatisfactory.

"Maybe Midas might know more about this."

He traced his way back through the corridors and halls he ventured to return to the temple's entrance. Walking out what he previously rushed into, he saw Midas standing at the end of the flight of stairs. Abel began making his way down back towards Midas.

Midas turned around, surprised to see Abel. "Were you able to find the gem?"

"Yeah I did," Abel replied. But recalling that a threat had made an appearance earlier, Abel was surprised to notice the same man lying on the floor behind Midas.

"What happened to him?" Abel asked curiously.

"I took care of him. Don't worry about it. Just pass the gem over."

Abel was stunned at the fact that someone in a situation as clueless as his own was able to stand his ground against a threat.

"How did you—"

"I told you, I took care of him," Midas remarked. Abel stood in silence for a second.

"Were you able to get some answers out of him? Like what happened to us?"

"No. No answers. Now pass the gem over," Midas reached his hand out.

"Is he dead? What did you do to him—"

"Can you just give me the damn gem already?!"

Confused, and somewhat offended, Abel walked over and passed the gem to Midas. Midas intriguingly observed the gem in his hand. In that moment, he receives a sudden buzz from his pocket. He pulls his device out and looks at the screen.

"The Trinity Gem... Interesting..." Midas' eerie smirk unravels once again.

Still unsatisfied by all his unanswered questions, Abel speaks up.

"Midas, what does it mean by resurrecting already dead contenders? Who are the contenders?"

Midas sighs, and turns towards Abel. He notices that Midas' eyes read irritation.

"Abel, you ask too many questions." He leans towards Abel.

"Midas—?"

Shank!

Abel's vision suddenly goes hazy. He coughs, and blood spurts forth. Midas steps back holding his weapon, and it drips of blood. Seeing the shocking sight, Abel's eyes widen. He looks down and notices that his white shirt is now stained red. Losing stability, he falls back, hitting the ground. He attempts to sit back up, but the gushing pain constricts him. Midas walks over, now standing over Abel.

"M-Midas?"

"Who are the contenders you ask?" Midas scoffs. "WE are contenders. Two contenders of many more in this battle royale."

"Battle... royale...?" Abel struggles to speak.

"We're all here to fight to the death. The last one alive receives what they ultimately desire. How could you forget that?"

"D-Death?" Blood now spilled through Abel's slurred words.

"Yes, Abel. Death. You're about to meet him soon actually."

Abel's eyes continue to widen as he receives the revelation he wish he hadn't.

"I'm sorry Abel, but you were just too vulnerable. I get what I want, and you helped me do just that. Thank you," Midas smiles.

Abel couldn't even find the words to speak anymore. He was at a loss. He was, a loss.

"It's awfully unfortunate that the very first person you came across under your condition just so happened to be a Sin. What are the odds," Midas laughs.

"Sin...?" Abel could feel his eyes slowly rolling up.

"Yes, a Sin. I, Midas, am the Sin of Greed." He walks over to the nearly breathless Abel bleeding out on the ground.

"This is your last breath."

Midas lunges down onto Abel's chest with his blade.

Darkness envelopes.