Humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, diligence.

The words chime with purity, though remain with a certain unfamiliarity when read by the average human. Each word, regardless if they’re read individually or as a whole, bring forth realization and, at many times, guilt. They are known by most of us, but forgotten through each action that resembles their counterparts. Still, even encouraged by those deemed religious(or some would say forced), these sacred attributes aren’t even practiced by the gods as much as they should be. But in what ways are these traits valued, and why are they held highly? It is simple: vainglory, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth. It’s these that many would say corrupt mankind. But surely, as time has progressed, the extremities have differed. It’s okay to want a little more, it’s okay to be a little lustful, it’s okay to be a little lazy, but the scales are hard to balance, but it’s balance that allows for prosperity. But to accept the sinful ways of humankind, supposedly forgiven through prayer and confession; that is how they have become forgotten—it is how they have become unfamiliar. Such methods help to assume they are easily washed away from hands stained by these seven deadly sins, but such simplicity does not exist. Especially to seven individuals in particular.

This story is much more than just the seven deadly sins. Yes, it revolves around this main factor, but on an axis that has become shaken through failure, and that is where the story remains. But the story thus far goes as follows:

The seven deadly sins are what haunt mankind in ways that they don’t acknowledge well enough. It was at the dawn of mankind in which these traits were imbued within humans and their many descendants, and it was the gods that sought to help this creation, however corrupt, yet beautiful these humans lived. But their presence within the mortal world came at a cost. A god would take form within mankind, but linked to a specific deadly sin—seven deadly sins, seven gods among men. There are legends engraved in ancient architecture, deciphered by the gods disciples, and it’s these disciples that guided the reincarnations of the gods.

And through the presence of the gods within the mortal realm, it then welcomed the demi-gods as a result. The disciples, religious mortals tied to the mythical realm, worked well to muster these demi-gods and train them properly with their gifts. The disciples suggested summoning certain mythical creatures to allow for proper training of the demi-gods. And thus, the two realms were further intertwined. But the demi-gods are only but a small role in the advancement of the seven gods themselves.

It’s true, each god within the mortal realm still remains immortal, but they are not capable of avoiding death. Once they have passed, a new god is presented into the world and the disciples search for the reincarnation of the linked deadly sin, using a compass that guides their way to them. But this hasn’t been required of the disciples for hundreds of years until one enraged day.

The gods are at constant struggle with their associated sin. They are immensely gifted, with strengths no human could even imagine, but they are cursed by sin as punishment for dwelling within a mortal realm. It doesn’t take long to learn how to maintain the balance, but there are some sins in particular that are hard to overcome, and there are some gods that are easily persuaded. It was a mistake for Ares to be born within the mortal world, especially associated with wrath. His abilities were strong enough already, but with the imbuement of wrath, it presented an entire array of devastating power. The disciples failed to stray him from his deadly sin, and it had consumed him.

Hundreds of years passed in which the six other gods, and their loyal demi-gods, had made it their duty to defend humanity against him. Each demi-god had a certain loyalty that either went towards the six gods, or to Ares himself. Since Ares was unjust, evil, and corrupt, it was forbidden to pledge one's loyalty to him, but some were consumed by their own human-born sins. And thus created a divide within this estranged realm.

Ares was extremely powerful. He had slain many reincarnations, welcoming in more and more gods and more and more demi-gods as a result. The gods and their efforts were successful in fending him off, but it was causing an unnecessary amount of warfare.

It was on one particular day in which both sides had prepared for a battle of the death. Ares did not belong in the mortal realm, nor did he belong with the power of wrath living in his shadow. This battle was hard-fought and lasted long enough for mankind to question such horrific activity. It ended in a blast casted by Ares, destroying the 6 other gods in the process. It was a devastating defeat for all that is good, and a glorious victory for Ares and his followers. Such a battle was masked to be a nuclear bomb, hiding the intense battle.

While the six new gods would come into the world, it left humanity unguarded until these new gods would become trained well enough to stand against Ares. The demi-gods were all that were left, and so they were trained more rigorously to fulfill the shoes of the gods until the new ones could take place. But Ares was far more powerful than the demi-gods. The demi-gods performed with bravery, but each battle they would eventually become assigned to would only be a death sentence. And thus, the demi-gods lived fearfully, yet the bravest among them faced their fate as it is known to be their duty. The prayers of those within this realm cry out with sadness, fright, and every bit of pleading hope they can muster. When will the gods come back to join them? When will they come back to become reinstated as defenders of the world?

And it’s you that they’re waiting for.