City of Sinners

Chapter 47

“Gaston!”

“Gaston, man, you have to f*****g wake up!”

The voice of other Vultures could not be heard with the simultaneous calling of almost every Vulture who has finally woke up.

Yes, almost all of us has succeeded overcoming the challenging call of the flesh, We were able to wake up and realize that the sin of lust is not for us. Surprisingly. Knowing that these men were exposed to the dark corners of the society, of the dark ways and means, it was surprising to see that they have managed to survive with the temptations made by the second circle of hell.

Our calls, sure, maybe has helped and contributed a lot, in making them survived from the catastrophic possibility of their deaths. Sure it had helped them identify that what they were experiencing was just a dream. However, in this setup, what matters the most, is your decision: would you respond to the call of your flesh, or … would you ignore it for your own safety? There are two choices in this game, and each of us have the freewill to choose what is, and what is not.

Because, despite almost all of us has awakened, and chose not to be tempted by our lusts, I can not hide the truth that … many of us has died. Many of us is now dead—swayed by their own temptations. Many of the Vultures … were lifeless. Headless. Dead.

Instead of celebrating because we have overcame our temptations, we mourn. Because … many of us were dead.

In fact, it was Gaston who is the last Vulture that has remained asleep—dreaming. But, it seemed that he is at the verge of his death too. He was letting the temptation control over him.

Seriously, this leader of ours.

The situation became worse when out of nowhere. That same, familiar toddler-like figure ghost appeared at the top of Gaston’s head. Its face were still old and wrinkled. It was now ready to grab out Gaston’s head from his body.

No! That should not happen!

Panic raised through my chest, and perhaps almost to all of us. Various shouting erupted from our throats, various calls of his name, warning about the dream. Yet, he seemed to not respond.

“Damn it, Gaston! Wake up!” I shouted.

“Gaston! You better not fall on that lust or I’ll f*****g hunt you here in hell!” I heard Valour growling in frustration.

From his head, the toddler-like ghost smiled and gave us a very creepy way of smiling. She held Gaston’s head.

There were hot sensation that is starting to come off of my eyes, when I saw that the ghost was about to severe the head of our leader. Gaston was letting his lusts control over him.

I shook my head. “Damn you, Gaston!”

Quickly, I let my hands off of being held by both Valour and Agos. They were not expecting it from me, that is why I have easily managed to slip off my hands. An immediate chaos occurred at the circles we have long been trying to maintain, but Valour and Agos has managed to hold each other’s hands once again, and was able to control back the stability of their circle—without me.

Everything was fast. Holder and Agos has reacted late when they realized that I am not holding their hands anymore, but instead , running towards Gaston who is frustratingly helpless with his dreams. I ran fast, and with balance. The strong wind was sucking me upwards, as if saying that I am not allowed to go with myself only; that I am not allowed to help Gaston.

But who the hell am I? No one. Just a stubborn woman who wants to punch our leader for being a fool.

And so, I did. Miraculously. I managed to reach Gaston’s spot, and with a heavy fist, I punched him. Hard. Straight on his right jaw.

The toddler-like ghost disappeared from his head, the moment I punched him. He was supposed to fall down the ground because I am sure that my punch would cause him like that, but since because his hands were being held by other surviving Vultures, he was just out-balanced.

Now, in order for me to not get dragged by the strong wind, I quickly held on to one of the Vultures, for a support, which he willingly accepted, long as he could help.

“Ow. Damn it.”

I was surprised when Gaston suddenly grunted and complained over his painful jaw.

“Gaston!” I called, smiling. “You’re f*****g awake!”

“Who the hell punched me!” he cried, looking at us with his not-so-terrifying stare, scanning everyone in the surrounding.

“I am,” I said, chin was raised, indirectly telling that I am proud of punching him.

His face softened. “Why did you do that, Sitri? I am busy with my dream,” he said.

“If I hadn’t done it, you would have been dead by now. Just ike what happened to some of us.”

The moment that I have said those words, is the same moment that the aura in the surrounding turned dark and heavy.

I’ve noticed how Gaston’s eyes scanned the whole place, trying to asses what were the things that has happened.

“It was horrible,” I said.

From that Gaston unconsciously nodded. On his eyes, the sense of being terrified could be seen. Who would not, if there are too many headless body scattered on the ground, headless and dead?

“Damn it. What have I done?” he asked, regretting—which he should not.

“You have done nothing, Gaston. It was this hell’s f*****g fault,” I said, trying to comfort him, before he would go bursting.

“I … I should have been a better leader. I should have been awake, I should have been helping them not suffer that kind of faith. Damn it.” He felt weak. Damn it.”

“Gaston, it’s not your fault.”

“I heard everything. Every bits of your calling and warning to me about the dream I am currently in. But it was too hard for me to battle with my lusts. I long know that it was just a damn f*****g illusion, but I let myself be tricked with it. And now, this happens…” The regret in his voice—it was depressing.

“What’ done was done. What’s tricked with lust was now imprisoned in the jail of lusts.”

A heavy circling black tornado has popped up behind me—more particularly, in the middle of the circle we were doing. That is then, when I noticed that the howling and crying ghosts in the surrounding was gone. It was just the black tornado which was making us uneasy. Inside that tornado, a voice has also erupted, and told us that those that were tricked with lust was now imprisoned in the jail of the lusts.

After another second of waiting, the tornado stopped, and from there, it revealed King Minos, the king of the second circle of hell.

“Hmmm … this group has unexpectedly more survivors than the other groups,” he said, examining everyone. “Well, that is what it is. I guess there were few carnal malefactors in your circle other than your opponents.”

“Opponents?” Valour asked, wondering what does the ‘opponent’ means.

“Ah, I forgot to tell you, yes, that was irresponsible for a king.” He acted slapping his head, frustrated for his said irresponsibility. “I forgot to tell you that who your opponents were, before this hell, shall be the same opponent in the further circles of hell.”

“Our opponents before the hell. Which means …” I looked at Gaston.

“The remaining surviving gangs.”

“Precisely. That is what you call it yourself? Ah, yes.”

“That would be hard, Minos—”

“King Minos.”

“—King Minos. As we entered here, we have decided that we will be travelling to every circles of hell, intact, and one,” I said, trying to defend.

“But where are they?” he asked.

I could not reply. Indeed, where the hell have they been? Soon as those howling ghosts appeared in the surrounding, the other gang group has just disappeared.

“No idea? They’re at the third circle of now. They left you.”

“What?!” I exclaimed, frustrated. They have left us here, struggling?

“That’s it. Be jealous of them. Be angered with them.” King Minos laughed.

Is this half-human, half-serpent king … trying to trick us?

“Hey, hey, hey, foul woman, I can read your thoughts.” King Minos said. I was shocked from it; that he could read my thoughts, but then I decided to let him read it, and defend himself from my suspicions.

“I have nothing to defend, woman,” he smirked. “What I was just trying to do … is to trigger your lusts again,” he smiled even wider. More terrifying, “The lust of defeating everyone with your own powers. What is it that you like? Ah, I know. Be the greatest gang. The most powerful group. Defeat the birds that is on the higher hierarchy. Hunt the Ravens, the Eagles, the Mocking Birds. That’s it. Let your lust to defeat them reincarnate to your souls.”

King Minos laughed.