181 A Sin is Still a Sin

[Noah's Perspective]

With the disappearance of Alevian and the Goddess of Death came a period of awkwardness. Even though things were quite bad before already, this silence that ensued was even worse. As the youngest one here with the least authority, there's not much that I could do. I just don't have any options. I can't leave and I can't speak up. The only thing that I can do is simply stand here, away from the worst of the storm yet influenced heavily by it. That is the pain of being the youngest of all.

I looked over at Ralus, someone who I wouldn't consider to be exactly an older brother figure in my life, but he's the closest to it as I was never able to meet Michael. But, according to what Ralus and Emilia had told me about him, he's extremely gentle and kind, someone who they could rely on in their early days of existence. Their testimony made me quite interested in this mysterious older angel.

My heart pounded nervously in my chest and the atmosphere around me seemed to become more and more dense to the point that it was suffocating. This feeling was due to the aura that the powerful figures around me had emitted. Even for me, standing here is quite difficult and uncomfortable. Therefore, I am actually quite surprised that Alevian was able to withstand it for such a long time with his mortal body. But, I guess that's because of he's special.

"How long has it been?" Ralus whispered in a trembling voice as he stood there with a defeated countenance. "I stopped counting after ten thousand years... Shouldn't it be enough already?"

"It was a major offense," God calmly responded. "He stepped out of line, did something unfit for his status."

"And you're still willing to leave the two alone..." Ralus muttered and sighed. "But shouldn't the punishment be enough already?" Ralus asked in a begging manner.

"He hasn't learned yet," God answered.

"If he hasn't learned in that many years, then it's unlikely he'll ever learn of it," Ralus answered, raising his voice slightly following the slight uptick in his agitation. "He won't change. It's not in our nature to do so."

God raised an eyebrow as he peered over towards Ralus.

"We're not so different from humans," Ralus continued. "We're not machines. We have emotions, have desires. How do you expect us to watch over them if we don't feel like them?"

"As the rulers and leaders," God sighed. "One must not be affected by moral thoughts."

"It's a double-edged sword," Ralus shook his head. "We might not be affected by greed, but we will not feel any mercy or compassion. People sometimes do things for a reason, and they might commit a sin when doing so. But, what if the reason is something that is justifiable?"

"But what if it isn't?" God asked. "A sin is still a sin."

"So is that why you opted to punish him like this?" Ralus looked over at him. "Alevian Michael Messiah, he was the very first, the most venerable one of us all. You've banished him into the moral realms, thinking that after enduring the sufferings of morals and the pains that emotion would bring, he would correct his ways, change his mind and agree with you. Yet, how long has it been? It's been more than ten thousand years. He won't change. Stripping away his powers and allowing him to slowly unlock them through this Socialization app isn't going to help in this so-called 'rehabilitation'."

"..." God remained silent.

"I know it's out of line for me to say this but," Ralus paused and took a deep breath. "You're not always correct."

"Ralus," Emilia muttered to herself, yet on her face was no expression.

"Is this your idea of perfection?" Ralus weakly raised a hand and pointed over towards Emilia's face. "You erased that smile from her face and made her into this senseless machine. How do you expect a machine to be able to comprehend humanity? How do you expect one to be happy when they're stripped of themselves and the capability to do so?"

"Is that the reason for this bet?" God looked over at him.

"Yes," Ralus nodded, keeping his head tall in a sign of defiance against our creator. "Alevian and I will prove to you what humanity is. We will persuade you to trust in humanity."

"That's a big risk that you're taking," God raised the corner of his lips in an amused manner. "You know the consequences?"

"Yes," Ralus nodded.

"It might be a sentence that lasts over ten thousand years as well," God continued.

"Then so be it," Ralus shook his head. "That kind and gentle Alevian had endured it already, suffered from it already, so why should I continue to hide?"

"Is this what they call free will?" God chuckled. "Fine. We'll see about it all in a few minutes time."

***

[Alevian's perspective]

Stepping through the portal led me into a warm and cozy room that was white without any bounds. The lack of color in the room made it so that the lines and edges of the walls were unable to perceived making the room appear to be a world of nothing. It just seemed to go on forever and ever and ever, as if there's no limit and without any bound. One would easily lose their position in this place, and I would have too if it weren't for the presence of the Goddess of Death who stood before me.

On her face was a fatigued countenance, one that was as if she was disturbed by something in her life. Each step that she took was slow and elegant, teeming with the feeling of divinity. Her decorum was one that I would expect from the divine: calm yet not emotionless. As if a cold fire that burned gently, she seemed to be empathetic with mercy, with the worries of the mortal realm. Upon seeing her, I felt a familiar yet alien earth within my chest. It was a nostalgic feeling.

She slowly raised her left hand, and with great elegance, brought it down once again. Before her, a dark portal appeared once again, but unlike the portal she had created before that provided me with a sense of security, this one sent chills up my spine. The portal felt cold, as if the world beyond it was one that my existence feared.

"This is the entrance to the Underworld," she said in a soft, gentle voice. With the side of her face facing me, I took in her pretty profile and that sense of sleepy, melancholic aura that she exerted. "The Underworld is huge, with no scenery. All that there is there is a darkness so thick that it's suffocating, even for me. There's also countless souls that roam that world, making it almost impossible for you to find whoever you're looking for. Are you sure that you would like to enter?"

"I'm sure," I took a deep breath and nodded.

"There's a fairly good chance that you will die?" Her eyes softened when she looked over at me.

"Rather merciful for a Goddess, are you?" I chuckled.

"Shouldn't this be the behavior that you expect from the divines?" My words appeared to have brought a soft chuckle and smile to her face. "Maybe it's because of my position, I understand the pain of mortals more than anyone."

"But it's also your innate gentleness and kindness that made such sympathy possible," I said.

"..." She stared at me with those fatigued eyes before releasing a soft sigh. "They're waiting."

"Right," I nodded and started walking towards the entrance to the Underworld.

"You have ten minutes," she continued in that soft, almost sleepy voice of hers. "You must leave in ten minutes, no matter if you've found her or not unless you want to fade away as well."

"Thank you," I nodded.

I stood before the spooky entrance to the Underworld, feeling my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I was afraid, every single cell in my body wanted me to turn around and escape to safety. My existence strongly protested my decision to enter the realm of the dead, yet my conscience subdued it. This is something that I know I must at least attempt. If I don't, then I'll never be able to sleep soundly. It's also not simply about trying as well, as if I failed, then it'll simply become an excuse, a lie that I tell myself about my failure.

"Hey," Endirith's words halted me from taking my first step into the realm of the dead. "What is it that gives you the courage to do something like this? I don't understand."

"I don't know exactly myself," I responded. "But I guess it's so that I wouldn't feel guilty...At the end of the day," I sighed, "everything that I do ends up being something for myself. I'm just so selfish..."

With that being said, I started towards the portal, and slowly, I entered into the Underworld.