Greed

Reaper didn't notice the passing of time. He dragged his body around trying to get a feel for the place but could hardly keep his mind focused on much more than staying lucid.

After what felt like an eternity, his legs weak, his body urging him to collapse, another runic screen appeared in front of him.

[Fracture Title: Goddess's Sorrow (1st Trial)]

[Trial Title: Mask Of Remembrance]

[Trial Type: Maze]

[Trial Grade: (???)]

[Trail Description: a memory is only as useful as those who remember. The fewer who remember the more doubtful the memory. Do you truly remember or do you wear a mask of deciet.]

[Trial Requirements: Choose Your Path]

[Failure: Death]

[Time Limit: (-)]

"..." Reaper couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Others may try to speed run this but usually unless specified there was no time limit.

This wasn't to say that there was no advantage to finishing early but rather even if one did, the next round wasn't likely to begin until the necessary participants were gathered.

When this thought settled down his expression became frosted as he recalled their faces.

'Soon.' Then without another thought he sat in silent meditation his heart falling into a rhythmic beat, his breath even.

By the time he was done, they would regret crossing him.

As for the question marks? He didn't consider it, if he was gonna die, he would make sure he was the last to.

…

"Hmm? Interesting." To be honest, he was shocked.

He had only planned to stabilize his condition a bit, but to his surprise, his little meditation session seemed to have done more than just stabilize.

Once again he looked down at his chest. Was this change permanent?

He didn't know why but using this in any capacity made him uncomfortable. Especially now that it was seemingly changing his constitution without him noticing.

Something about it felt uncanny. Unnatural!

'So be it.' There was no point in him crying over something he had no control over.

If it wanted to control him, he would show it that he wasn't so easy to control.

Truthfully there was a reason he didn't easily reveal his name. Even that old pair only knew him by his alias.

'Is it?' His thoughts drifted as he walked forward stepping into another cave formation. He seemed to have forgotten about the pain suffocating his body falling into a trance.

The air around him shifted. The surroundings changed, revealing 3 paths.

All three paths seemed to be the entrance to a mave of some sort, but their insides where obscured with strange laws.

He could feel a burning sensation building in his eyes when he tried to observe them.

'Is this what it meant by choose your path?' Truthfully he still didnt quite understand what kind of trial this was.

It said 'Maze' and yet it told you to 'Choose Your Path.'

Wasn't a maze meant to have only one answer? Or was it not a maze and was simply meant to mislead you?

Something about this whole thing smelt fishy. Then there was the description.

[Trail Description: A memory is only as useful as those who Remember. The fewer who Remember the more doubtful the memory. Do you truly Remember or do you wear a mask of deceit.]

The syntax was… strange, to say the least. It felt more like a statement than a description, at the same time it felt completely unrelated to the trial.

'Remember?' This was clearly the main staple point, it sought the same result but… what was there to remember?

Was there something about this individual that would be important to the trial? Or was he forgetting something.

If there truly was something about her he was meant to know then he was screwed.

It was hard enough to find out the name of this 'Goddess' much less anything else about her. In fact he wasn't even sure what kind of Fracture it was as it was left blank too.

Despite his thoughts, it did nothing to slow his steps.

He had already noticed something. It was obscure. The paths were nothing like the cave formation he exited.

The walls were a dull bluish-ash gray, unlike the dirt brown of the cave. They were covered by strange markings reminiscent of scratches.

But despite the forceful nature of the marks, there was no blood on the walls, instead there was a soft wail that sounded like cries of the damned.

Fluctuating ever so often to remind others of their pain.

It was a soulless cry, one that had given up, one that simply served as a reminder of the dangers of this place.

He felt his skin crawl.

It didn't help that the closer he got to the entrances the louder the wails of the dead seemed to become.

Soon enough he arrived before the entrances.

There they stood. Towering ancient doors that beckoned the presence of all those before it to explore its storied history.

Each door gave off a story of sorrow. One of a grand past that begged another chance to prove itself.

On top of each entrance, a mural. Carved into the stone. Three distinct signs. Each representation maybe more out of place than the last.

Giving off a soft light, each sought to illuminate the place and yet when interacting seemed to cut off each other in reproach creating 3 distinct light sources.

The mural on the first door revealed a weeping child. One abandoned by the world.

Their cries rang out through the masses, reaching even the deepest depths of the earth and yet.

The seas, the skies, the world itself seemed to carry his cries, making it far reaching, begging its people to see.

But the cries fell short. Never reaching the hearts of the people.

He could almost hear the whimpers, tempting him to listen but alas… almost.

It felt like no matter how hard the child cried, no matter how much pain they were put through, he would never hear them. He was not meant to.

He felt a strong repulsion in his heart, his breathing became laboured, his back covered in sweat, and his features twisting into a frown.

'What was that?' He had never felt such repulsion. It was suffocating. He wished to reach out, he wished to lend a hand, and yet… He too felt that this child was beyond saving.

'NO'

He heard an echo in his soul.

It was not the child that was beyond saving, but him.

Just like everyone else, it was not that he couldn't hear it but rather he chose not to.

He, just like everyone else in the world, chose to ignore the suffering of others to seek benefits for himself.

He was ever close to helping, to lending a hand, but like the rest that stood by the ledge,he didn't dare jump off.

He sought to satiate himself. To satisfy his [Greed].

He felt anger bubbling up within. Was he that cowardly? Was he truly no different from them?

The scene of his father's dead body seemed to replay itself over and over again.

Then he looked down at his chest.

'All because of this thing?' He was having trouble controlling himself.

The burning rage within threatened to spill outwards but he supressed it. It wasn't yet time.

This feeling... he would show them the consequence of their [Greed].

[AN: Sorry about the dissapearance. School is a rather complex deal. They have these strange things called classes. Apparently you have to attend them to pass. Outrageous!!!]