Sin of Greed

CHAPTER 6

Mago followed the lady glancing one more time at the mythical spear. They went to the room that is filled with bizarre stuffs such as; skulls of different species like human’s, strange scent that might be coming from the scented candles that scattered inside lighting the dim lit room.

There is even a dusty book shelf that contains archaic foreign books, some bottled liquid with eccentric colors.

And in the middle of the room, there is a table with red cloth covering it. At the center of there is a peculiar deck of cards.

“Sit right there.” the older woman direct Mago to take a seat in front of the table while she seats across him on the other side.

Mago timidly followed her order sitting tightly on the chair with his hands on his lap.

She started to shuffle the cards and Mago took his time to scan the surroundings.

“Hey, I didn’t catch your name.” Mago said to the lady.

“You don’t need to know but if you insist my pretty boy, just call me Lilith.” The woman known as Lilith said with her usual sweltering voice.

Lilith had finished shuffling the cards and put the deck of cards in a spread-out pattern. Leaving Mago dumbfounded.

“Choose seven cards.”

Lilith said and Mago was sure that he saw her eyes turned slits again. Mago chose seven cards at exact. One by one Lilith turned the cards upside down, revealing each pattern with hidden symbolism.

Lilith felt the cold shiver run up to her spine. Her lips quiver and turned pale at the sight of each card in front of her while Mago is innocently looking at her and the cards.

But he can clearly see that she’s uneasy because her hands are shaking and she’s sweating bullets just from seeing the cards.

The longer Lilith stared at the cards the more sinister her reactions become. Her breaths turned to heaves and for the same reason she suddenly stood up, making the chair behind her falls down with a loud thud alarming the man across her.

“H-hey! Ms. Lilith! What’s wrong?!” Mago asked with his voice laced with genuine concern. Lilith took few deep breaths and sits down again.

“Nothing.” She muttered.

“So… what’s in the cards?” He asked.

“The first two cards reveal your past, the third one is your present, the rest reveals your future. The first card symbolizes dream; have you ever dream to be something you really want?” Lilith returned the question.

“Well, yes. It’s kinda embarrassing but I do dream to be a knight.” Mago bashfully said while rubbing the back of his head.

“The second card, symbolizes death. Have you ever experienced death? Or should I say, the death of someone.” Lilith continues.

But Mago’s eyes narrowed as he reminisces the deaths of his villagers and his gran-gran to the hands of ogres and goblins.

“Yes, I’ve seen death. And how funny that I’ve even smell death itself.” Mago’s gaze turned dull as he spoke. “It smells like rotten blood on the freshly watered earth.”

Lilith gulped, she knew that her fortune telling never misses. But she’s hoping that this one will never happen.

“The third reveals your present.” Lilith said as she picks the third card up. “This means, hope. You as of now is full of hope. Hope that your dreams will come true, hope that everything will be fine, and hope that everyone will someday be happy.”

“Well yes of course! When I become a knight, I’ll protect everyone and therefore they’ll live happily.” Mago said putting his fist on his proud chest with a smile full of ‘hope’.

But Lilith’s frown worsens as she picks the fourth card.

“The fourth card symbolizes, enlightenment. This will be the greatest turning point of your life. The day will come that you will realize, no. Life will force you to realize which is which and what is what.”

Lilith’s vision is vague but her words is something that should not be taken lightly.

“The fifth card symbolizes hate. After you learned the truth behind your greatest pain, your hope will turn into a raging fire of hate.” Though her words are clear Mago can’t comprehend what she’s saying.

The room has no window but he can hear the whistling sound of wind that seems to crawl up on his spine.

“The sixth is revenge.” Lilith can’t look Mago on his eyes. She can’t bear to see a young man’s hope turning into ashes, but at the same time she can’t lie about this.

“Your grudge will yield a fruit, but I don’t want you to let it eat you. I want you to pick it and throw it, because if you let it rot inside you for sure you will rot to death with it. So please.” Mago can’t answer, he can’t find his voice to answer or even question her.

By the looks on her face Mago knew that he’ll have a rough life ahead of him.

“The last card is fox. It symbolizes the sin of greed.” Lilith’s teeth start clattering. Her trembling gaze held Mago’s.

“What does that mean?” Mago gulped, hoping he’ll have answers.

“In my entire life, I’ve never drawn this card. Not once. Not even by accident.” She said through her quavering voice as she let Mago see the card with a giant wolf drawn in it.

The picture of the wolf is vivid, but what is in its mouth is vague, something like the wolf is biting something long and sharp… something like spear.

“You, the sin of greed will rise within you.” Lilith finished albeit the great enormity she’s feeling.

“W-what is the sin of greed? What is in me, please tell me Ms. Lilith?!” Mago accidentally raised his voice, his right hand flew to grip his heart through his shirt.

“The sin of greed,” Lilith trailed, contemplating if she should be the one to tell this to him but nonetheless, she continues.

“It is one of the seven deadly sins that were so powerful it disrupts the balance on earth, that’s why they have to be sealed during the ancient war by the force of the whole celestial hierarchy of heaven and human race.”

“Who are they? What does it do with me?” Mago slammed his fist on top of the desk.

Lilith clenched her fists and inhaled deeply.

“I don’t know the exact truth about them or what does it do with you. But base on what I’ve heard is that they were sealed because of the way they torment humans into sinning. And you’re-…” Lilith was cut off when a sudden loud scream coming from the outside capture their attention.

They immediately run towards the location of the sound. Mago was taken aback by what he saw.

A group of thugs surrounding a little petite girl, and by the look of their clothing Mago concludes that the little girl is from a noble family and the others belong to the lowest society who are skilled when it comes to extortion.

“Please! Don’t hurt me! I’ll give you my necklace, so please…!” The little girl begs the men. But the five men only laugh.

“Sure thing, sweetie. But what about we take your necklace but in exchange we can give you pleasure, you like that? It’s a win-win situation, isn’t it? We got to feel the pleasure.” One of the men said, while his companions maliciously giggles.

“S-stop!” The little girl pleaded. As the man who seems to be their leader tries to grabbed her, Mago grabbed the man’s wrist with such strength leaving him kneeling in front of Mago because of pain.

“Are you deaf or what? She said stop, didn’t she?” They look at Mago. They were taken aback when they saw his eyes, dangerous like wolf carefully waiting for its prey and then forcefully taking them down.

Lilith run to the little girl and hug her, she tried to comfort her while Mago let go of the man, and kneeled in front of the crouching girl.

“Hey there, are you hurt?” Mago’s smile makes the little girl blush and her eyes glistened with pure admiration.

“N-No, thank you.” she mutters under her breath. Mago smiled at her and pats her head.

“T-that hurts you bastard! Get them!” Their leader gripped his wrist trying to ease the pain as he ordered his cohorts.

Each of them lunged at the Mago who’s back is still facing them.

“How dare you hurt our boss! You son of a b***h!” The man with a knife is first to attack.

“Look out!” “Behind you, Mago!” Both Lilith and the girl simultaneously yelled.

Mago instantly faced them as the man with the knife lunged at him with all his strength Mago grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder with a loud thud, leaving him unconscious.

“You can’t beat me with that half-ass attacks.” Mago said looking smug as ever.

The battle between them goes on with Mago as the winner and the men are bruised and bleeding.

When the burglars saw what Mago can do, they scurried away from them. Leaving the two ladies stunned at what happened.

“T-thank you so much.” The girl stuttered still intimidated from the recent event.

“No problem … uh...little miss” Mago smiled down at the young lady not knowing what should he call her.

The young lady blushes when she heard Mago called her little miss.

“Elizabeth… you can just call me Elizabeth.” The girl trailed, gripping the pendant of her necklace that was nearly taken away from her a while ago.

“Didn’t know you’re strong, Mago.” Lilith said, her arms still wrapped around the petite figure of Elizabeth.

Elizabeth looks up to Lilith due to their height difference. “Mago?” She muttered but immediately notice by the two.

“Ahh… yes. My apologies Miss Elizabeth. My name is Mago Avaritia. But you can call me Mago.” Mago bestowed his signature smile at Elizabeth making her heart skip a beat.

“Oh! And miss Lilith,” Mago turned to face the older woman. “you sure is a fine sorceress and a fortune teller.” Her smiled at her.

But Lilith didn’t know what he’s talking about. Sure, she did read his future but what makes him think she’s good.

Lilith didn’t respond any words but her furrowed eyebrows told them that she’s veritably bewildered.

“You’re really cute…” Mago can’t help but to let out a chortle because of her reaction.

Educing a discreet gasped from Elizabeth, jealous of the two since they knew each other and he just called her cute.

“I didn’t tell you my name yet earlier you called out my name perfectly.” He looked at her.

Lilith’s furrowed eyebrows abridge as she assimilated what he’s talking about. Her expression turned instantly into sorrowful countenance.

“What’s wrong with you?” Her hands clenched and pained visage is evidently shown to Mago, reminiscing what they’ve conversed earlier.

“What? What do you mean?” Mago maybe ludicrously tilted his head showing bemusement.

‘Didn’t you get affected from what I said earlier?’ Lilith hinder her words from coming out by biting her lips.

Mago just learned what may happen in his future yet he still can hold his smile on his lips.

‘He should be downhearted by now. His hope should be gone.

And yet…

Maybe… just maybe. The prophecy will not ever befall.’

She can’t help but evoked a little smile from her luscious lips.

“Hey! Can’t you see I’m confuse here and there you are still mocking me since you took away all my money!” Mago was beyond annoyed when she smiled thinking that she’s still mocking him since he lost the gamble.

“What? No sweetie, I’m just amused on how you will survive till the assessment without any coin in your pocket.” Lilith’s smoldering yet mocking tone rang on his ear as she played along with the blither.

“You… you will pay for this! Remember my name it’s Mago Avaritia and I will make you pay!” Mago said fuming.