“Wrath, we have to uphold the peace of the realm! I admit my son caused this incident, but that does not mean that human child has not caused anything but problems since he has arrived!” Lord Greed said to Lord Wrath, who was not looking very convinced.

“Greed, I have told you what is going to happen. Release him now or face the consequences”. Lord Wrath was being serious too, all of us could tell.

“Lord Wrath, may I inquire into the nature of how these chains function?” I asked, wondering if my theory because this magic was correct.

Without taking his eyes off of Lord Greed, he said, “Greed’s chains are connected to his mana, and act as a binding on the target. He can use his mana to manipulate the chains, and they can be used as a weapon to kill a target if necessary, which I suspect is the intent now”.

If that is the case, what happens if I were to use my Wrath flames on his chains, would it burn his mana?

“Selene, I am going to use my Wrath on the chains to burn his mana. If necessary, we might need to portal out of here. Nobody is allowed to treat me like this without paying a price, however”.

“I believe I had made myself clear on the first day about how I treat my friends and enemies, my lords. Lord Wrath, thank you for being willing to step in. I believe that I can defend myself in this instance” and Lord Wrath finally looked at me, and understood my intention, and smiled and nodded at me with approval.

That means it should work, right?

Lord Greed was not as quick on the uptake, and with a bit of effort, I grasped the chains in my hands and chanted [Ignis], summoning the crimson flames I have come to rely on lately. When the assembly realized what I was doing, it was too late, as the Wrath flames started to follow the invisible connection from the chains to Lord Greed.

Lord Greed laughed at my attempt, and was holding off the Wrath flames from reaching him with the sheer difference in level between us. Then let’s try copying our mentor’s method then.

Focusing on Lord Greed, and meeting his gaze, I let my emotional control loose besides the minimum needed to resist the Wrath whispers. My hatred, anger, indifference, and rage towards the events of my life as Callum, and now. All of it was focused on the Fae Lord looking into my eyes.

Lord Wrath trained, lived, and breathed the embrace of the Sin of Wrath, and where I grew numb to the countless lives I have slain, he never did. My killing intent was of indifference, showcasing how little it would affect me if I wiped the target out, whereas his was a passionate flame that would burn you to ashes quickly out of mercy.

He wanted to kill you, after all the steps you took to follow the rules. You even spared his son, who by all rights should have died by your hands.

His greedy desire to kill you, must mean he was involved with the assassination attempt as well. You rejected his offer to join his faction, so he would rather remove you than let another have you.

As the voices attempted to overthrow my will, the flames of Wrath grew stronger, and turned a darker shade of crimson. It was a dangerous card to play, but there was no way I could attempt to harm someone of the Fae Lord’s level right now otherwise.

Give in, Luce. Give in and we will give you the power to burn your enemies to dust, unable to even be reborn. Give in. Give in, Luce. GIVE IN.

YOUR ANGER IS YOUR POWER, LUCE. USE IT TO SET IT ALL ABLAZE!

A cat landed on my shoulder, and whispered in my mind, “You have done enough, Lucian. Don’t fall deeper into that emotional chasm”.

Snapping back into reality, once again underestimating the power of the Sin of Wrath’s ability to draw you in without realizing it. “Thank you, Selene. I am back to normal now” and dispersing the crimson flames, the chains restricting me long having burnt to ashes.

Looking back to Lord Greed, I see him sweating and grabbing an arm that was leaking blood, and missing a hand. Confused at first, I then see the decapitated hand on the ground in front of his throne, still burning with the crimson flames.

He cut off his hand to stop the flames from spreading, he has good resolve if not intelligence.

“I think that was a satisfactory compensation for Lord Greed’s attempt on my life this time. For the second and last time, I do not wish to make enemies of anyone. All I desire is to be able to train to better control my powers, and learn more about the world. I will not seek to harm another without good cause, so please spread the message to your factions to not repeat an incident like today” I say to the Fae Lord Council.

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Lord Lust, who has been quiet this entire time, finally spoke up and said, “Luce is someone under the protection of this Fae Lord Council, and we have not done a proper job in doing so. We all know the nature of our people, and the political intrigue that comes with it. It MUST be made known that Luce is not to be a target of this”. Her support was not something I expected, I was thinking she would remain a neutral member of the council at best.

The other lords besides Lord Greed, agreed to this statement. Whether this would give me an easier, or worse time with politics, only time will tell.

Lord Wrath was back to his normal, jolly mask and jokingly asked me, “Do you just have some kind of fate that attracts trouble to you, Luce?” and all I could do is sigh at this.

“Considering the amount of incidents I’ve been involved in so far in my short time here… You might be onto something, Lord Wrath”.

What was that saying about if you gaze long into an Abyss, the Abyss gazes back? Is there some kind of connection between the bad finding me, and my abyssal power? Motivation to grow stronger, perhaps?

“Fae Lord Council, I must strongly make it clear that there will not be tolerances for events going forward. Directly or not, two attempts have been made on my bond’s life in the short time he has been here” Selene sternly scolded the Lord Council, and I am once again wondering the level she is at to have these strong leaders not speak against her, and do the opposite.

“I am of a mind to agree to this shameful show of respect towards our guest, my lords” a voice spoke behind me, and I quickly turned around to see a tall Fae woman in a dark robe and a kind looking demeanor, with eyes that reflect no light standing right behind me. Blind?

“Yes, child. I am blind. However, my powers give me the ability to see the world in ways that are far more advanced than mere eyesight”. Panic set in, and I realized she either got lucky and saw me look at her eyes, or she was able to read my mind. I took a few steps back. She did not feel like an enemy, but I could not take chances here.

All the Fae Lords stood up, and bowed towards the woman, all saying respectfully, “Madam High Oracle, it is our honor for you to join us!” The High Oracle waved her hand and the Fae Lords took their places back on the throne.

Lord Wrath hesitantly spoke up, “May we inquire as to the nature of your visit, High Oracle?” and she looked from me to him, and the Fae Lord stood up straight as an arrow in his throne. It was funny to see him act like this when he usually dominates the conversation.

“I heard our esteemed guest was experiencing issues once again” Her kind demeanor did not hide the anger in her words just now. The Fae Lords were silent, and the room grew to where you could cut the tension with a knife.

Bowing to me, she said, “I deeply apologize on behalf of the Fae Realm for the lack of respect and the way you have been treated in your short time here”.

I quickly return the bow to her, and say, “Please, do not apologize to me. I am not from these lands. While I do not fully understand the full picture of everything happening, I do know that it was bound to cause friction in the politics of the land”.

She nodded to me, “Politics of the land, indeed. Faction disputes are expected, but for a Lord to directly harm you is deserving of death” and she raised her hand to the cowering Lord of Greed, having lost all the manner befitting of the title.

“Please grant me mercy!” Lord Greed screamed, and the High Oracle coldly stared at him in return. He was not going to escape this time, it would appear.

“If not for the timely intervention of the Lord of Wrath, Luce would be dead by your hand. You, who do not even understand the importance of the boy, would have caused irreparable damage to both the Fae Realm, and the world itself”.

A silver beam of light shot from her hand, and I backed up a step as a deep sense of internal fear arose inside of me. “Do not fear, child. This will never be used on you” the High Oracle said, and the beam reached and went through Lord Greed, but left no visible mark of damage.

Confused, I looked around and saw a somber look on the Fae Lords, and Selene’s faces and turned my gaze back to Lord Greed.

He was reaching at his chest where his heart should be, and desperately trying to feel something in his hands, and couldn’t find it. “For your crimes, I hereby revoke your Sin, and your right to call yourself a member of the Fae”, and snapped her fingers, and Lord Greed vanished from the throne room.

What did she just do?

“Selene? What just happened?” I asked my bond.

“A Sin is a… Crucial thing to a Fae, it’s both their symbol and heart as a Fae. To lose your Sin, is to lose your right to call yourself one. It is one of the harshest punishments the Fae Realm can inflict, and is something only the Head Oracle can use”.

The Head Oracle did that as a show of force because of what happened to me?

“That’s right, Luce” the Head Oracle held both of her hands out to cup my face in them and continued, “Nobody besides me is aware of just how important your life is to this world. We Oracles have the ability to foresee the future, but we are not allowed to interfere in it. Doing so would create a cataclysmic event called a Paradox, and is to be avoided at all costs. Please forgive me for not being able to get involved until now” and she bowed once again.

I waved my hands at her and said, “Please. I do not know what you have seen of my future, but please do not bow your head to me. I am not worthy of such a thing”. Being bowed to was not something I have ever liked. It reminds me of the bows I received as Hand of the Divine.

“I understand, I shall do my best to refrain from doing so”. She looked to the remainder of the Fae Lord Council and said, “Set up the appropriate procedures for the Selection ceremony for the new Lord of Greed. Also, prepare to receive some… Guests at the martial tournament in three months” and the Fae Lords stood and cusped their hands and bowed to the High Oracle saying, “As you command!”

Looking towards Lord Wrath and Lust, I bow and say, “Thank you both for your support this time. I deeply appreciate it” and they returned the bow to me as well, Lord Wrath looking especially happy and proud at me.

“He looks like a proud teacher who witnesses his student get stronger in front of his eyes” Selene said to me.

“He specifically told me that he could not officially be my teacher, actually. It would entangle me in Fae politics and his faction too much, and he didn’t wish to cause me more trouble”.

“Sounds like he was doing you a favor, and not doing what he wanted, instead. Lord Wrath has been fair and kind to you, and I think you should consider taking him as a teacher if given the chance, Lucian” She said to me, as if giving me a push to pursue it.

“I will think about it”.

The High Oracle held out her hand to me, and said, “Luce, I think it is time you learn about the prophecies concerning you, at least what can be told as of this time. Would you accompany me to Seer Island to speak about it in private?”.

I look to Selene, and back to the High Oracle, and nod while reaching to take her hand. Once our hands met, the environment changed and we arrived at an ethereal view high in the sky.

Looking downwards, I could see the familiar Fae architecture and realize we were FAR above the Fae Realm, to where it looked like a table replica of the area.

“It is quite a view, isn’t it? Even after the centuries I have existed, I never tire of seeing it” the High Oracle spoke softly, almost lost in thought at the view. I nodded in agreement, and looked at her seriously.

“What do I need to know, High Oracle?”

“Soon enough, the Divine will discover this world, Lucian”.