Spirits of sins

The air was thick with tension as the shadowy man sat on his throne, a sure secret glimmering before him like an open wound. His gaze was cold and piercing, his lips curling into a dark smile as he spoke softly to the woman standing beside him.

"Leave. I'm coming," he whispered, his voice chilling as it grazed her ear.

She hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I cannot just stand up and leave—"

Before she could finish, his eyes bore into hers with an unspoken command that forced her to rise. She turned on her heel and left without another word, leaving him alone with the four figures cloaked in shadows.

"Envy. Pride," he called, his voice slicing through the silence like a blade.

Two of the figures stepped forward hesitantly, their heads bowed. Before they could speak, he raised his hand, and an unseen force brought them to their knees. They screamed, their cries sharp and guttural, as if acid had been poured over their bodies.