The fruit was no bigger than a small orange as Eve’s hand caressed it. It was a dark brown, bumpy across its surface and had a seemingly thin skin over it. This serpent didn’t seem to have any issue eating it though. The thought floated through her head.

Eve looked back up at the enormous serpent that had coiled itself around the thick tree branch several times over. It’s tongue was spitting out only a few feet from her face. It’s eyes glowed as they remained fixed on Eve, who was completely naked.

“Did you not see? I have already eaten from this tree. The fruit poses no threat to you.” The serpent's head rocked back and forth as it spoke to her. The “s” was elongated in each word as its tongue stuck out in tandem.

“For God has given us all we need. Why should I eat the fruit which he has expressly forbidden?” She stared into the serpent's large eyes, fearless.

“Why would he forbid such a fruit? He has made you in his image and he knows that you could become like him. The knowledge of good and evil makes you close to Godhood.”

Be like God. Eve’s hand trembled at the thought. She pulled the fruit up to her mouth, the sweet smell drifted across her nose.

The branch creaked at the weight of the serpent as it’s coil tightened and loosened in anticipation of her action. It’s eyes glued to the slow movement of the fruit rising to her mouth.

Your creation will fall as you made me fall, Father. The serpent seethed as it remembered its own fall from grace. The hell it was now chained to, always present.

Her lips touched the warm surface of the fruit before her teeth bite into it. The fruit was juicy, tickling her tongue as she reveled in its taste.

Eve’s eyes were widened as she devoured the rest of the fruit without hesitation. Completely ignoring the serpent, she gathered another fruit and ran off.

The serpent slithered off the branch onto the ground. It coiled in on itself, over and over again until it became solid. The serpent skin fell off, revealing the pure light of an angelic being underneath. On its head sat a golden throne, burning with an intense fire. It’s pure white wings were half burnt, the tips were ablaze as ash fell endlessly to the ground.

The angel looked at the tree, admiring his corruption. In seven hours, the large branches grew dark black. In seven minutes, the branches fell to the grasses embrace. In seven seconds, the sins of humanity were born.

For their names were: Lust, Wrath, Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Sloth and Pride. They reflected the fallen angel’s ambition, a corruption born of heaven and earth.

The barren trunk stood before him, the branches and fruit completely gone now. The sins rose from the ground, meeting the gaze of the fallen angel.

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“You are a legacy of my corruption! Born into this world to be the void within the hearts of men!” The fallen angel reached up and grabbed hold of the fiery throne that lay on top of his head. In the his hands, it broke into seven pieces. In seven breaths, the sins had taken ahold of a piece. In seven thoughts, the pieces merged with the sins.

Cracks split the barren trunk with a thunderous roar. The trunk crumbled under its own weight into seven equal size chunks. With the roaring sound of seven heavenly trumpets, the seven virtues of humanity were born.

For their names were: Chastity, Patience, Kindness, Charity, Temperance, Diligence and Humility.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil had birthed the salvation and destruction of humanity.

The virtues quickly disappeared, leaving only a portal radiating a heavenly light. The fallen angel looked upon his corruption and spoke. “Subjugate them.”

The sins did not respond but quickly entered the portal. As Lust stood before the portal and prepared herself to enter, she heard the fallen angel speak to her. “You are my greatest legacy, Lust. Your affliction shall bring God’s greatest work to ruin.” Lust turned her head and nodded before entering the portal.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Why exactly am I here? This situation seems to be more appropriate for you and Envy.” A tall, naked woman with dark red hair stood atop cracked, scorched earth. The reflecting light made her skin glow, caressing the curves on her breasts and hips. There was a deep red that swirled within her eyes, a trap to fall any that would look into the beckoning labyrinth. Her body did not exude desire; it was lust itself.

A girl with long green hair stood in the corner, a man laid tied up in her grasp.

“What do you see?” The man looked at the screen behind her. On it, she saw a man with dark brown skin picking up a large, jagged rock. In the distance, a man was tending to sheep, oblivious to the situation.

“Looks like Cain is jealous that Abel is getting all the attention from…” the tall woman mouthed the last word but no sound came out.

“You know you can’t say their name, right?”

“Who made up that stupid rule? By the way, you never answered the question, why did you bring me here?” The movement on the screen behind her was desperate, uncoordinated. The man with the rock was slowly approaching the figure tending to the sheep.

“Wrath and envy. You see these clearly in front of us. What happens after he strikes him? His envy and wrath will surely subside but what feeling remains?” Wrath stood before the tall woman and posed the question to her as his eyes now remained fixed on the screen behind her.

“We have not seen another human murder before. I guess, I really don’t know.” The tall woman turned around as they both now stood staring at Abel. He was crouched down, checking the leg on one of his sheep.

Abel turned to face Cain, fear filled his eyes as Cain slammed the rock into his face. The jagged edges of the rock dug into his flesh. Cain brought the rock back up, the screams echoing out as he bled on the grass. With a few more strikes, Abel no longer showed any sight of movement.

“Just as I thought.” Wrath said as he examined the bloody corpse on the screen. “Did you not feel that, Lust? The unbridled feeling that surged through him as he crushed his brother beneath his hands. What would you say that is?”

“Control. Beyond just wrath and envy, he enjoyed the control he held when ending his life. Is this why you brought me here, Wrath?”

“I had a whim, nothing more. Envy, let’s go.” Wrath turned to the green-haired girl and beckoned her to come to him. She nodded her head and followed his lead, leaving the tied up man in the corner.

“Was it the creation or corruption that made them this way?” Lust stood as she examined the screen as it jostled rapidly, the view of a man running away from a disaster of his own making.