Three of the sigils ignited, Michael grit his teeth. He could feel something strange pulsing through his body, and he held himself back from attacking Edward, the demon's memories fresh in his mind. –How dare he have such nerve, knowing I gave everything for Ravenna? And he takes pride in those memories enough to save them?–
A low chuckle resonated throughout the dim room, and four of the demons turned to see their master laughing. Adam remained in awe of the ritual before him; the angel in the brimstone circle. "Most excellent, Michael, most excellent." Lucifer stalked toward the Seraphim, stopping before a symbol that had yet to burn. "Do you know which one this one is, Brother?"
"No."
"Gluttony, dear boy. Most people associate it with eating, drinking. But truly, it is the sign of excess. A life of excess is so often a life of selfishness." Lucifer knelt, his fingers brushing the symbol. "Have you been... indulging in your excesses?" His voice nearly a purr as he tilted his chin up to look at Michael.
"No... we live life just as Ravenna did before I came into her life. She wasn't wealthy, but she was loved by the villagers. There's not much excess to have."
Lucifer took a handful of brimstone from the circle connecting the sigils, throwing it at Michael's chest as he stood. "Wrong!"
Michael recoiled, guarding his body with his arms as the crushed stone rained down its assault on him. "Maybe this is one we just can't ignite!"
"Wrong! You've lived such excess, you just are too thick to see it! Everything surrounding that woman, you've done in excess. Leaving the Kingdom daily to watch her. The possessiveness over her. All excess. All selfish." Lucifer nudged the Gluttony symbol with his boot, and as Michael realized the Fallen man was telling the truth, the sigil began to burn. "That's what I thought. All you want to do is consume her, and in turn, she consumes your mind."
The strange, pulsing feeling coursing through Michael began to feel stronger, and he rolled his shoulders forward, trying to rid himself of the feeling. The rushing persisted, and he sank to his knees, his heart pounding as the adrenaline joined the waves.
"It seems he may be getting closer to the breaking point, Sire," Vincent spoke over the crackling flames, trying to make sure he was heard. "We're only at four, he must be very susceptible to the Sins for such progress."
Lucifer circled around the ritual sigils, ignoring the groans from Michael. "Pride," he announced as he passed the symbol that had yet to burn. "Lust." He continued past the burning Envy and Greed, stopping at the last unlit sigil. "And Wrath."
"I'll help with one," Hellena came forward, approaching her master and the ritual circle. Lucifer clapped his hands together once, the grin stretching across his lips, knowing how reluctant she was around men.
"Go on, darling, whenever you like! Don't wait for him, Michael seems to be rather... incapacitated at the moment." Lucifer whipped away from the circle, his cape fluttering dangerously close to the flames.
Hellena untied a ribbon from her wrist, and used it to secure her snowy hair back from her face. She took a deep breath, and focused her sanguine glare on the angel on his knees in the ritual circle, groaning as the rushing feeling persisted.
"Hmm. Pride. So you're the angel that saved Ravenna, hmm? The one who answered a prayer? Isn't that equating yourself to the Ruler? What makes you think you're so important to be equal to the Ruler in power? Are you sure that's what Pride is to you? Or is it something else...perhaps that you're so prideful that you thought you were the only one who was worthy of saving her? You watched that girl for so long, you and your possessiveness over her... would you have ever let anyone else rescue her? No, in your eyes, you were the only one worthy of Ravenna, and thought that maybe, just maybe... if you could save her from Peter, she would be so grateful and love you. Ugh."
Michael groaned, the waves becoming unbearable. "You... you have no idea." He pushed himself onto his side, balancing on his hip and hand, curling his legs to the side. "I was told the Ruler failed you...urghh... why should he have failed Ravenna too?"
Hellena turned her nose up, not believing a word the Seraphim had to say. "Why can't you admit you chased your manhood to the Mortal Plane for Ravenna? You saved her for your own purposes. If you hadn't, you would have went back to the Kingdom and waited for more prayers to help more people. You're pathetic and prideful, and it cost you your wings."
"Why can't you see that I'm the best thing for Ravenna, even if William can't accept that his son is gone and will never have her? She came to feel for me the same way I feel for her! I saved her, and she chose me!" Michael used the last of his energy to defend himself against the demon's accusations, and he lowered his head as the Pride symbol crackled and began to burn.
"Even the brimstone doesn't believe you." Hellena turned her back on the Seraphim, who curled his legs into his chest.
"Lucifer! Make it stop!" Michael begged as the unfamiliar waves rushing through his veins were becoming stronger, knocking the air from his lungs. Each pulse brought a bitter, stinging pain that cut through his body, and he grimaced, begging for the ritual to end.
"No! We're so close! Finish him off!"
Michael's entirety quivered with the pain of the power trying to break free, a hidden force fighting in him to suppress the abilities the Sins battled to unleash. His chest heaved, and he shoved himself back onto his knees. "You can't do this to me! All you've done since I came to this realm is punish me, make me feel like I'm a terrible person for saving Ravenna! I saved a woman I loved, and she loves me!" He focused on William, and glowered. "Maybe Samuel deserved her, but I do too! I killed for her! And I'd do it again!" Michael turned his attention to Edward, his jaw clenched with rage. "You think you can change Ravenna's heart, change her affections from me to you? You're a joke, you're not even alive."
Adam and Vincent shared a look, as Vincent had been translating everything for Adam. Adam gestured, and the elder demon nodded, acknowledging that he had been asked if Michael was undergoing the ravages of Wrath.
Michael groaned, the pain of the power struggle within him becoming unbearable. He took a deep breath, and glared at Hellena. "You don't know the first thing about my love for Ravenna. I saved her once and I would do it again. You're just angry that nobody saved you from whatever the Ruler failed to save you from." Heartbreak crossed her face, and Hellena whisked away from the room, her boots making sharp clicks on the marble floor. William followed her out, his soft shoes making no sound as he left.
The Seraphim panted, trying to catch his breath. He placed his palms on the ground in an attempt to steady his shaking figure. "Lucifer…you're the worst one of the lot. You wanted an ally, but you've been the most selfish of all. You're just using me for your petty revenge against the Ruler!"
The symbol of Wrath became emblazoned, and the six ignited sigils connected their fires with the trail of brimstone between them. The circle burned wildly, reaching the ceiling of the chamber, cutting Michael off from the demons and Lucifer. The fire quickly settled to reveal the Seraphim kneeling on the ground, a translucent silver haze surrounding him, a pair of shimmering silver wings adorning his back. The haze glimmered before disappearing, and Michael collapsed.