Chapter 10; Temptation

The Antagonist, otherwise known as SIN, itself, had already made its way all the way back down to the bottom of the mountain, where it was in a vicious and vehement rage. "DAMN CREATURES!!" it cried, slamming a hand over one of the skyscrapers that was in its way, like a child with a toy, knocking down whatever construct that was in its way in its fit. "I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM LOSING TO THESE ANTS." The SIN incarnates, which were, at this point, only just the Satans that were trying to snatch the houses of Purgatorio, were the only source of food that SIN had left. "SLAVES!!! I'M HUNGRY. FEED ME. FEED ME NOW."

The Satans would approach their master, carrying all sorts of food on large platters; much Sin for SIN. Yet, this time, when they approached, the great and large ambiguous arm would swipe over they, themselves, and gulp them down in the boatloads, like the sacrifices they were. SIN crunched on the bones of its minions, then swiped up the other food that was less delectable than the flesh and souls of the actual slaves only afterward. "Ugh. What Kind Of Service Is This? I Need Some Better Creatures." It stamped its foot once, bellowing "CRETINS!!!!" Sooner or later, a building should have fallen and a whole new herd of worthless, soulless flesh sacks should have scuttled out of their crawling places and out into the open, where SIN could finesse them whilst they were in their panic that it, itself caused. It slicked back its ambiguous hair, which had only appeared simply so that it could have a beautiful and vain appearance, though its body was made of nothing but ambiguous energy. The next step it took was to condense its entire form down to a single entity, who looked like a mixture of all the other SINS together as one. "I Need My Demon Lords," SIN would utter, waiting for the little ones to scurry. "Let's Go Crown Some Idiots."

At the very utterance of the words 'Demon Lord' would the Seven Legendary Warriors of the $yndicate appear, having already prepared as a unit to deal with this sort of threat long before getting here. When they were given the order by their superior, they would reveal themselves to stop the threat that appeared directly in Purgatorio, itself, with the lower ranks all moving into their position based on the command of the Seven. "Get ready..." the leading warrior spoke to his comrades, waiting for his order to act.

As SIN was about to act, ready to lead the ignorants into Temptation, the sound of bloodthirsty screeches could be heard in the air of the depraved ones. "Ah, finally..." SIN would utter, "MY Angels..." Certainly, it had its own, which had defected from their holiness only to seek out blessings from whomever and whatever would provide, that being SIN, itself, in this instance. "CRETINS!!!" it cried out, calling down the Fallen Angels, "I HAVE YOUR MEAT; YOUR SACRIFICES!!!" The very sound of backup was a relief to SIN, yet, at the same time, it knew if the Fallen ones had come from out of their place, then their time was short to get as many recruits as possible to rebuild what was destroyed.

"TAKE WHATEVER YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON! RAPE THE CITY, THOROUGHLY AND FULLY!! LEAVE NOTHING UNTOUCHED!!" Certainly, these perverted, ugly and ultimately deprived savages would do as they were commanded just to get THEIR way, no matter what it was nor how much more depraved they had to be in order to get it. "Disgusting Creatures..." SIN muttered condescendingly, with a confident smirk on its face, "Eat Your Fill..." They would no doubt do its dirty work, and leave the one commanding them completely clean from having to even touch a lowly human. The Fallen Angels, otherwise known as Corruption, would flock around SIN like ravenous birds, then retract their wings into their backs in order to take on Human form, so that they would appear to be humans. "Good," SIN said, expanding its presence over them. When it did, the Fallen Angels would take on SIN's image, wearing a nice, fine suit and looking like they were ready to make a deal. "Get the little ones running right around looking for a job. Make them an offer they cannot refuse." Certainly, the way the economy was, if SIN had forged it correctly, they were in DESPERATE need of WHATEVER handout they could get, even if it were from the Devil himself. "MAKE IT SNAPPY, THEY WON'T BE DESPERATE FOREVER." Knowing that the deprived ones worked on desperation, both SIN's own and the humans that took after them, Temptation, and then Corruption, wouldn't be difficult as long as they were in a state of depravity. "I Didn't Make This City A Hellhole So You Could Mess Up Gathering The Little Cretins When I Need Them." He adjusted the collar of his suit, then his tie, next.

The Fallen Angels would copy this, and do the same, before they were bid into the city to go deal with the panicking peoples and Corrupt them.

During the descent of the Fallen Angels unto the land of Purgatorio, a rain of fire looking something like burning angels shaped like ravenous red ravens would strike down many of them as they were falling from the sky, with others being cut down directly by a burning sword harbored by the largest of these fiery birds. "What was that~?" the sound of a woman's voice echoed from the burning emanations, before the lump of fire struck down right near the congregation, "... My sacrifices are ready?" This was Asbeel, the Angel of Ruin, with large bloodstained wings upon her back, and a red raven's mask upon her face, but the rest of her body was pure smoldering fire. "That would mean YOU, of course." She licked her lips, ready to devour these tasty Fallen Angels and return them to naught but ash. "You've made me wait FAR too long for my meal." One of the wings of the Fallen Ones was in her mouth, something like a chicken's wing, and was roasted to perfection as she bit into it. "GOD they're so juicy. A shame what happened to them, though." Naturally, she was speaking of herself being 'what happened to them.' "In the future, that is." She laughed lightly, biting into the fallen angel's wing and tearing off more of the flesh. It would be the equivalent of throwing wood into fire. "Because of me, no less." She looked around, trying to scope out which of the depraved she was going to have her way with first. "Better hope I don't find them." She giggled casually.

"Looks like we've got backup..." The $yndicate heads said to each other, knowing now after the Fallen Angels had been released into the city that this was the time to act. "Squadron, move out," the 7 would command, saying further, "Whomever you see being tempted to SIN, you tempt them in the other direction. If they cannot be saved, mark down who it is and report them to us." They'd seen the one that they were instructed would come for them, Asbeel, by their leader, Mister Sir, of whom this Angel was working with at the time. They'd already handled Mister Sir's part, and now it was time to see what the angel Asbeel's portion was.

The $yndicate heads, the 7, would make their way to the descended Asbeel in order to greet her and inform her of their status. The leader would speak, "Asbeel, Angel Of Ruin. Code Name: Red Raven; We are The $yndicate, bid by Mister Sir, our superior, to aid you in the fight against SIN. We have completed our orders and are taking name and number of those that are afflicted to make your mission easier. The tainted, or 'Poisoned,' will be listed and you can deal with them as you may." The leader of the $yndicate would salute her, standing as if he were ready to receive orders from her until their superior spake otherwise. "We're at your service, Ma'am."

The Fallen Angels, who could easily assume the shape of a normal person, since all the people of the City were infected, by default, with their genetic Code, would do just that and be indifferent from any of the people that were around. None of them could be told from each other, because the best thing that Fallen Angels were capable of doing was degenerating. The ones that knew would now stand as one of the people, and they all looked exactly the same.

"Ha." SIN laughed condescendingly. "I Told You It Was Futile." With that, he would casually pass on to his next designated location, leaving the Fallen Angels to their doom.

After the introductions, Asbeel was pleased to see that the secret task force was already on the job. This was both pleasing and reassuring, of which she would greet the leaders of the $yndicate justly. "Ah, very good, men! I've already been informed of more orders before you, and come here to help you carry out the ones that Mister Sir has given to you, with extra info." As they spoke, however, like SIN does, it was acting very quickly and already released the Fallen Angels into the crowd of panic in order to have them degenerate and blend in.

Asbeel was in a predicament now. The Fallen Angels had blended in with the commonfolk. All of them were sinners, but the only difference was that the Fallen Angels knew who they were, even if they would sometimes forget. "... It's begun," she said ominously, looking on at the citizens with both pity and rage. "This was the reason God said not to sin... So that when the original Sinners were released, they wouldn't be able to copy your data and use you as their Scapegoat, as they do with everything and everyone." They would sacrifice themselves and each other until they died, but not before they used up ALL their other AVAILABLE options FIRST.

"RED ALERT." She commanded, immediately finding the situation to be a serious threat, and thus gave the ones that were not Angels and knew nothing of the Angelic Order instruction based on Angelic Code, which Human Code that could not Read nor Recognize it would need translated to and for them. "... Go give them handouts," Asbeel would say, "Just like your superior ordered." She was well aware of Samael's orders before she got there, and this was the time for them to spread the 'poison' for the Fallen Angels. "See who can be tempted and who runs after they are caught red handed by your OWN handout." The Fallen Angels were greater than any sinner, but were still seeking out whomever would feed them. This was something they could not defect from, and if they did, they would act out in a different manner that exposed them much more easily. "See who takes and who doesn't. Whomever takes when they aren't supposed to is a Sinner. Whomever KNOWS this is a Fallen Angel. Destroy the Fallen Angels on exposure, but the ignorants and the innocents are to be separated from each other." This would keep the Rephaim from being part of the Fallen Angels. "You need to do this as fast as possible before the Fallen Angels are able to reproduce by infecting others with their SIN. If it corrupts their data too much, they'll become a Fallen Angel, having tasted a Fallen Fruit. You don't want that, because the Fallen Fruit will possess them and have them searching for SIN like it's their food." This was why the 'Fruit Of Evil' was forbidden, and evil. "If you see one, kill it. If you see one trying to eat someone else, you kill them. But make sure you get a glimpse of what they look like in all their stages, so you'll always have a record." The Fallen Angels would always seek to eat someone or something else that was lesser than them, but still part of their genetic code. They were their own food, and when they got hungry, they would start eating each other and reveal themselves on their own. "Wait for them to start acting, but when you see the first one, analyze it, get all the data you need, then weed out the others. You can copy the data after that." The Copy/Paste portion of the Fallen Angels was so exact, whenever one did one thing, the others were guaranteed to also do the same, as a copy. "You only need one."

Before she bid them off, Asbeel would mention as an important note, "If You Fail, You Become One Of Them." She gazed on with burning eyes of foresight, as if seeing something atrocious at the end of her destructive gaze. "... Complete Ruination." She spread her wings, which were a great Seraphic flare, "... Such Is Corruption." Taking off with a single flap like the burst of a volcano, she shot off toward where SIN was traveling, after it left its seeds to basically be destroyed, knowingly and willingly, as it would, even after knowing that it was happening. They couldn't handle that. Only the Tensei...

The heads of the $yndicate understood these orders that were explained to them, and already knew who to send out. "Azazel." The Eternal Sacrifice. They called him out and sent him into the Fallen Angels, to be bitten by one and be infected, so that everyone else could see it. The bowed their heads and closed their eyes, never having really understood what it meant to have these Names as their Ranks, and now felt solemnly for the entire depth of why they Served in the first place, leaving them no room in their Spirits not to do so. They stood by whilst Asbeel flew off, leaving ruination even here, with them, after giving them such a grim outlook just by giving them new information. They questioned their intelligence, and their faith. Yet, both of them seemed to align, in spite of all that had gone on, simply because they understood the reasons why they should be carrying out their orders exactly as directed.

They looked on at the Horde as it collected, allowing them to coagulate.

When the Fallen Angel within their own ranks was called out by the name of the Original, all the copies would rear up all at the same time and take on the form of your own unit, of whom you had foolishly named one of them, so that the Fallen could take on his form first before you had time to stop them and him.

Now the area was filled with Azazels, and they were all surrounding the $yndicate, roaming around with nothing to lose. They took on many different appearances, but were all still doing the exact same thing that he was, making all of them no different from him. They wouldn't bite first, because they were waiting to be bitten by one of the others, immediately neutralizing the entire field where all the Azazels gathered to copy the Sacrifice.

Before Asbeel got too far off, she noticed that the first of the Fallen Angels were falling into line, in sequence, as they were sent out by their purpose. When the congregation of Azazels gathered around the one that was sent out to lure them into the open, she would immediately wave her hand and unleash a wiping whip of lashing heat that would smite the entire lot as a fine roast with only a simple passing of her Purgatory Wind. "They're All Sacrifices," she mentioned, now that the field had been neutralized. "I Will Deal With The Others That Spawned." The Red Raven continued her ascent into the skies on the burning wings of destruction. "I Leave The Rest Up To You. The Tensei Will Bid Out Angels To Assist You Against This Threat." They would have to cover Temptation whilst the Tensei dealt with the matters that came afterward.

With that, Asbeel was off to the herd of Azazels that she knew had generated up the mountain and disappeared completely, no longer remaining in the area.

At this point, unfortunately, the $yndicate did not know what to do. Realizing that not only was their Azazel lost, but also couldn't be used again, or else the exact same outcome would occur was chillingly frightening, since it actually crippled them severely. "... What will we do now...?" The leaders wondered, not knowing enough about the Angels to actually be able to call them out without having them be replicated and giving to the enemy.

"... Handouts," one spoke up, marking the words of the one who just made their most leaned upon weapon absolutely useless, "... We use those goddamned handouts, like we've been doing." They knew what they'd done, and also that so did Asbeel. "If the Angel came down and told us something that could change our lives so dramatically and not even bat an eye at it, and also left us with some more instructions that can do just the same, or even more, then we do what the Angel told us to do and see it through." They already had their orders, and this one knew. "I didn't hear anyone tell us any different." His devotion seemed to come from some form of deeper wisdom.

The other leaders, who respected his views, and heard his words, would nod their heads and continue to think. The threat was more than they bargained for, when at first, it all seemed so simple. Yet, they had their instructions, and after sending out their Scapegoat to test the waters and draw the Fallen Angels out, they would have to do so again so that they could be observed. "That's right..." he muttered under his breath. "... Another one." He commanded the units in the $yndicate to hurl out the next Azazel, but only one, and no more. When it went out into the fray this time, it would stand waiting for the Fallen Angels to replicate, as they should have.

Someone would come and warn the masses about the destruction of the Fallen Angels and lead everyone away from where the Azazel was. If necessary, to avoid allowing them to become a Fallen Angel, the group would be explained about the Fallen Angel Azazel and the others as necessary.

Otherwise, the city was evacuated at that moment and led elsewhere by a higher authority.

Just then, when the Fallen Angels in disguise began to flee, a new Voice came up on the communication devices of the $yndicate, which each of the leaders should have already been prepared for once the time came. "Hello? Is this thing on?" Whether or not they could hear, the Voice continued on, seemingly with urgency. "Whatever. If you can hear me, this is The Tyranophant. Do you see the runners?" Whether or not they observed, the Tyranophant continued to speak, almost like a prerecorded message. "Those are Fallen Angels that know. Araqiel. This Fallen Angel will warn the others only so that it can eat them for itself selfishly later, and has no intention of actually helping them. Strike them down, and you'll be able to save the ones that are being led away by the ones that are running and leading them astray, and you'll also know what both 'Azazel' and 'Araqiel' look like as a Species of Fallen Angel." Being left with those instructions on how to carry out the order, the Tyranophant's Voice faded. From there, the $yndicate should have known that the Tyranophant was in charge and giving orders, as their superior, in the place of the former, Mister Sir, and carried them out for him whilst the Tyranophant awaited their completion in order to issue out more.

The $yndicate fell silent at the command of the Tyranophant, already knowing of his superiority based on rank based on their former superior that appointed him over them, and was ready to listen to his instruction as they would their original superior, Mister Sir. Once they heard the order, it was already being carried out.

"Squadron," the heads called, alerting them of their update, "Take out the runners." That was all that needed to be said as the Fallen Angels were tailed. They would eventually lead them to their master just from trying to lead the others astray. The members of the $yndicate knew this, and so would be able to trace them anywhere they went as long as they were running, securing their victory. "Thank you, Tyranophant," they acknowledged, "Is there anything else we need to know about how the mass genocide of the Fallen Angels is to continue?" Each of the leaders of the $yndicate were interested in knowing in order to make sure all was done correctly, even if all they had to do was see who they needed to lure out into the open and which lures to use, basically. "We want to be sure we eliminate them all so we can actually see a clean City." It seemed like for the first time in however long it had been, there was a light at the end of the tunnel, and because they kept progressing no matter what mishaps occurred, they, too, were inspired to keep going until they made it through. Thus, they heeded the Tyranophant and his Angelic knowledge, waiting patiently to see what he would say before they resumed their duties of exterminating the Fallen Angels.

"Yeah, actually, thanks for asking." The Tyranophant could only communicate with the $yndicate from afar and only with his Voice due to his own position, but was more than capable of giving instruction and guidance from where he was in order to help them get there. "You know how the Fallen Angels are fleeing? Well, they can only go up after they degenerate, and if you've followed them, you can't cut them off. However, if you already have something waiting for them as they attempt to invert from their degeneration back into their higher forms, then you can cut them off by chasing them up the mountain." This was why the Tyranophant needed to stay where he was and not go down the mountain. "That being said, I need you heads to come to my location, but also to spread out along the mountain at predetermined locations, inclusive to my own, as the rest of the unit deals with the others, being commanded by you all as you do."

The Tyranophant added, "Also, the Fallen Fruit that Asbeel spoke of is actually something you can visibly witness, once it attaches to their heads and possesses the Fallen Angels. Those are your real targets. If you destroy those, the Fallen Angels cannot use anymore Tainted Wisdom to degenerate others, and will stop regenerating at all. I'll show you what it looks like so you can see how they look. When you destroy one, the head sometimes gets taken with it, so be careful about that on your way up. You should notice the markers, and also should be able to recognize the Fallen Ones from any others if there are any others that haven't been infected after I show you what they look like both during the Temptation stage and after the Corruption stage, when they begin degenerating from the Temptation, itself." As he spoke to the $yndicate, they would be able to suddenly see what looked like faint halos atop the heads of the fleeing Fallen Angels, and within those halos, what looked like parasitic fruits with long fangs sunken into the heads of the fleeing and infected. It was so faint, it was barely visible, but when it appeared, there was a third eye that appeared to keep it illuminated as long as it was in sight.

"Remember; hit the core of the Fruit. That's what has control over the Fallen Angel. Hitting the body without destroying the Fruit is useless, since the Fruit is the one that's reproducing from the waste data, which are the Fallen Angels, themselves." It was a rather interesting process to see how the actual Tree of Death, itself, clung, using its own Fruit and Seed, even when it knew that its vessels were naught but waste and feed. Still, this was what the $yndicate was mandated to eliminate as they trekked up the mountain and came to the designated locations that the Tyranophant had already marked for them.

Seeing the horrible manifestation revealed before them by the Tyranophant's voice, and also understanding that this was how the heads of other operations and organizations became Corrupted, the heads of the $yndicate gazed in horror at what they could become should they fail to carry out their mission. Though, that fear did not bring them concern for themselves, but only hardened their resolve of not becoming what they really could not stand the most, even if they sometimes made mistakes that drew them closer to that fate. The $yndicate would actively take any measure possible to avoid that fate, and would carry out the plans as instructed by Mister Sir, their former; Asbeel, the Angel of Ruin, their associate; and the Tyranophant, their new superior over the whole operation.

"Yes, Sir!" they each cried out with conviction, informing their troops that they were going to head further up and to carry on until they were given different orders. "It looks like things will be better in no time." The heads of the $yndicate could all rest easy with knowing that, even though the Fallen Angels, of whom they'd tussled with for what seemed an eternity, were out and about. For once, it looked like they actually had the true key and answer to destroying them and this whole damned ugly system they'd been forced to operate in for however long. If this was their only chance, they were taking it.

And so, they made their way up the Mountain of Sin again, ready to take it and its inhabitants down, never to rise up again.

You come across someone that's being confronted by a leopard of some sort, but because the group is a group, You don't expect to be attacked. You continue to go wherever You were going, of which You still presently and actively don't really quite know nor understand. You are heading up the mountain with Your friends or family, just because that's all you really usually do and all you can do to occupy your time right now.