The Way Of Sinners

As Mel slowly ascended the steps, he kept muttering something about Lot's carelessness and what it meant for the rest of them.

However, when he got to the midlevel, he stepped back and smacked a palm against his forehead. The fool had even left his post while on duty. His lips formed a thin line, bent downwards at the edges. The bastard was going to pull him into his mess with this.

Just then, there was a low "lop" from above. As though, something thick had landed in something thick.

"Ger?" He stepped back, his breathing turned shallow and rapid. The shock and annoyance instantly disappearing.

There wasn't any reply. He moved cautiously, planting each foot in slow succession. He made his way up the last set of steps. Just as he came round the corner, there was a slight tremor. He gripped the rail, checking the distance from the ground fearfully.

Just then something burst from the silo. He lost all caution and leaped off, releasing sin in a boom.

The sinners responded to his signal and everyone rushed to the scene.

****************************************

Brut had been out front of the log house, standing with a handful of guards when he heard the signal. He tore past them; he didn't have to be told which silo had been compromised.

*****************************

Fairchild, Medea, and Mycroft were sitting in the common room of the log house. They sat in a triangle, Medea at the head.

From Medea's evening gown to Fairchild's simple robe and Mycroft's leather jacket on shirt and trousers, it was obvious they were in mourning. Medea had even asked the sinners to replace the drapes and furnishings with black ones. She was the most affected by the death.

The big question that had hung in the air had finally come down and Mycroft was its messenger.

"What next?"

They both looked at him like it was obvious then at each other, their looks seemed to be in dissent and Mycroft swallowed, leaning back to watch the drama unfold.

Medea's eyes narrowed and one long brow arched, "We're going forward with Rafael's plan right, Fairchild?"

Fairchild leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand. "I don't think that's possible"

Her mouth hung open as she looked from him to Mycroft, who expressed his non-involvement, and back at him, staring with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. "What do you mean by that? It's obvious this is what Rafael would've wanted."

"Exactly, Rafael." The voice was firm but she wasn't having any of it.

"So you're just going to let everything die this way? No honoring his memory?"

"Honoring his memory by infiltrating and breaking down a system filled with people innocent to the said crime? What happens then? Do we rid the world of sin or are we unleashing a force we can't even handle?"

"And avenging his death?"

"It is not my place to avenge."

Suddenly, a dagger flew through the air, sliding into one of the vertical slits on the door opposite Medea. "Why then are you here old man?!" She shot to her feet.

Fairchild sighed, "I suggest we wait a bit more." He leaned back, "Let's not make hasty decisions. They've never worked."

"Till when then?"

Fairchild opened his mouth to answer but the explosion drew their attention and they reached for their weapons, rushing out after Brut.

They got to the silos. Mel was being nursed while Brut stood atop the silo, securing its lid. Other sinners stood around, visibly shaken up.

Brut noticed their presence and leaped, landing on both feet, a few feet away, and walked to them. "The silo was compromised." He averted his eyes.

Medea frowned, "Did you find the culprit?"

"No, milady. I'll confront Mel, find out where the other two guards stationed above him went."

"Mel?"

"The one that's being attended to. I placed him at the foot of the silo – he has a fear of height, but the men say he jumped off the top level. Something must have happened."

Medea stormed over to where Mel sat, amidst healers and they cleared out at the sight of her. "Who did this?" She didn't raise her voice but it still didn't lose the commanding tone.

The man sat up with a bit of difficulty, "I couldn't see them milady, I jumped off just as it happened, but I think I caught sight of something in the midst of all of that."

"As what happened?"

"Something or someone came out from the silo. It must have been big, the force of it shook the silo."

Medea looked at him. Her brows creased, eyes narrowed, did this idiot think she was a fool? "And why did you leave your guard post?"

"My comrades, I noticed their absence and I went to see if there was something wrong with them."

"Where are they?"

"I have no idea milady; I didn't see them."

She turned to Brut, "Summon the other two. I want to know what happened here by the third watch tonight."

*********************************

Rafael went through a thought process that was so fast, it would've made the brightest minds so proud. He clipped his regalia to his wrists, waist, and ankles just as his flight reached its point of descent.

Now he was crashing towards the ground at increasing speeds. The channels weren't working properly and each attempt at sinning failed terribly. He looked downwards and the cobblestone seemed to come up towards him, swallowing, he braced himself for the inevitable fate.

As Rafael crashed into the ground, he realized that the impact wasn't fatal, rolling a few feet and into a wall, the rest of the energy pushed him off it and he finally stopped, facedown. He helped himself up and collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily. Something flashed in his eye and he looked at his arms, they were covered in sin, like a second skin.

The familiar searing pain exploded like a thousand fiery blades all over his body and he almost ripped the regalia as he pulled it off, gasping in short fast breaths. This sin was not like any he'd seen before. For the first time, he was scared of it. Just looking at the regalia lying a few feet away, made his skin crawl.

The sin seeped back into the tubes and he fearfully put it back on, covering up once more with Lot's clothes, he set off to where they were to meet.

***************************

"Change of plans," Rafael whispered, releasing sin from one hand. It struck Lot squarely in the back and pinned him against the wall, then slowly spread along his midriff, firmly clamping him there. "Listen carefully, you were attacked on your way to your duty post, your clothes were taken and the attack was too quick for you to see who it was." He picked up the sheets and turned, "You'll receive a good measure for this deed Lot. I owe it to you." He curled his lip and frowned, "Unfortunately." He added, too low for Lot to hear, as he walked away.

**************************

Ger had waylaid Anais and now threatened him at knifepoint but Anais denied, with proof, that he was going to meet Brut at all. The both of them heard the signal and he gasped, he'd been played. He backed away from Anais, letting the blade fall from his hands. It clattered against the cobblestone, Ge turned ran away, clutching his head.

He was breathing heavily but he kept on running. His thoughts pushing him further. He couldn't go back now, no. He'd be confronted over his disappearance and then this would come up because if he lied, they'd be able to tell. They were all higher class sinners after all.

Brut would then have his head. How could he confess to pilfering the loot from over the years? Brut would kill him notwithstanding that, it was of course the way of sinners…

***************************

Medea, Mycroft, and Fairchild returned to the log house and the confrontation from earlier immediately came to mind. However, they all went into their rooms - to avoid the "drama".

Medea shut the door behind her, there were too many thoughts on her mind. She hadn't even processed her confrontation with Fairchild when this one happened, her heart ached. Why did he just have to leave?

One hand traced the bed and came in contact with some sheets. She frowned, who'd put that there? She raised them to the candlelight and gasped…

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By the next morning, Mel's comrades had been found. Lot was still in the position Rafael had left him in while Ger hung from his own sin, he'd been dead for some hours now.