(I did not create sins; I gathered them from their tormented souls. Every sin is a part of me, a reflection of my love for them. I never wanted to destroy them, but they forced me to do so.)

Volume I: Leviathan

Section I: Envy

:

Ring...

Ring...

William opened his eyes and turned off the phone. It was four in the morning. He noticed a faint mist outside the window but paid it no mind. Moving quietly, he left the room and headed to the bathroom.

Standing in front of the mirror, he saw his pale face and lifeless eyes staring back at him. He had looked like this ever since his father had died in that fire two years ago. After the tragedy, he and his sister, Maria, had moved into this apartment with his friend Henry.

William splashed water on his face, as if trying to wash away the painful memories clouding his mind. Leaving the bathroom, he walked into the living room, where he found Henry.

Henry was sitting on the couch. As William joined him, Henry looked up and said,

"Morning, my friend."

William sat down beside him and replied,

"Morning to you too."

Henry tossed a bag at William, who caught it and peered inside. It contained a can of sparkling berry soda—his favorite flavor.

Pssssss...

The sound of the can opening was one of the small joys William appreciated, making the sharp taste even more satisfying for him. Taking a small sip, he looked at Henry and asked,

"Thanks. Did you get the rest of the stuff I asked for?"

Henry gave him a puzzled look and said,

"What stuff?"

William turned his head away and sighed,

"Are you messing with me? I sent you a list of things to get for breakfast."

Scratching his head, Henry replied,

"Not my fault your requests are endless."

Taking a deep breath, William said,

"Never mind. I'll get them myself."

He stood up from the couch, took a large sip of the soda,.

William grabbed a backpack to fill it with supplies and left the apartment.

Meanwhile, Maria entered the bathroom and washed her face. She opened a small drawer and took out a bottle of medication. She stared at it for a few seconds, then opened it and took four pills. She knew she was only supposed to take two, but the effects were too weak, and the voices from her nightmares still haunted her.

She picked up her notebook, where she had sketched scenes from those nightmares. She was still afraid to sleep, but what could she do? All she could do now was try to keep living.

Maria noticed the fog outside, feeling a strange unease. But she decided to ignore it. Taking a deep breath, she headed to the living room, where she found Henry sitting and flipping through TV channels.

She sat beside him quietly and said in a soft voice, "Good morning, Henry."

Henry smiled and replied, "Good morning to you too, Maria."

Maria knew Henry was a good friend to her brother, William, and he felt like a caring older brother to her as well. He provided her with a temporary sense of safety. She looked at him and asked, "Where's my brother, Henry?"

"He went out to get some things for breakfast," Henry replied.

She closed her eyes and adjusted her posture, but suddenly—

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....

A loud noise came from the TV.

It was an emergency broadcast. Maria and Henry both looked at the screen in confusion.

A man in a formal suit with perfectly combed hair appeared on screen, sitting at a desk. His face was filled with worry and tension. He took a deep breath before speaking:

"To our great people, this is a real emergency broadcast, not a drill. Please listen to me carefully. Stay inside your homes, lock your doors, and under no circumstances should you go outside. The reason for this is that a missile has struck the outskirts of the city, releasing a contagious virus."

He paused briefly before continuing:

"The symptoms of the virus include nosebleeds, completely blackened eyes, and excessive sweating. We do not yet understand the full extent of this virus's capabilities, but..."

Suddenly, the man's face turned red. Veins bulged from his skin as blood poured from his nose. He looked at the camera and said:

"Whatever happens, do not enter the fog."

Then, he pulled a gun from the desk and shot himself, smiling as he collapsed lifeless onto the desk.

The broadcast abruptly ended.

Maria stared at the screen in horror and whispered, "Henry, what's happening?"

Henry's face had turned pale. He said, "I don't know, but we need to call William and get him back here immediately."

Henry grabbed his phone and dialed William's number.

William was about to reach the grocery store when his phone rang. He answered it, "Henry, what's wrong?"

Henry replied urgently, "William, please come back home immediately!"

"Why? What happened?"

Before Henry could explain, William noticed a strange man entering the grocery store. The man was bleeding from his nose. William spoke into the phone, "Listen, I'll be back shortly."

Suddenly, a scream echoed through the store. It was the store owner, Uncle Han.

William ran to the front of the store, only to be met with a horrifying sight. The man was holding something in his hand—a blood-covered lower spine. His eyes were completely black.

Uncle Han tried to defend himself, shouting, "Get out of here, you damned freak!"

But the man threw the spine at Uncle Han, knocking him back. Then, with inhuman speed, the man lunged at Uncle Han, biting into his neck like a wild animal.

William regained his composure and tried to push the man away, but the man ignored him, continuing to tear into Uncle Han. Grabbing a bat, William struck the man hard on the head, sending him flying backward. But what terrified William most was that despite part of the man's head being caved in, exposing part of his brain, the man laughed and said:

"Every day, Joe, I'll show you I'm better than you!"

William yelled, "What the hell are you talking about, you monster?!"

The man lunged at William again, but William dodged to the side. The man crashed into a shelf, bringing it down on himself.

William was shaking with fear and adrenaline. The man looked up at him from under the shelf, laughing uncontrollably. William gripped the bat tightly and began striking him repeatedly. With each hit, the man only laughed louder until William finally shattered his skull completely.

Panting, William cautiously walked to the store's exit. He glanced at Uncle Han's mutilated body, now a grotesque, unrecognizable mess.

Outside, William was in a state of shock and disorientation. A car sped past him and crashed into a utility pole. Inside the car, he saw one man eating another before the vehicle burst into flames.

William began walking slowly, but as his senses returned, he broke into a run—desperate to find safety.

To be continued...