Limitless The Strongest Revenant-Chapter 989: The power to heal [2/2]
Unable to remain silent, I asked in confusion.
"Even with all of IRIS's resources, you guys still couldn't figure it out?"
"No, Successor. We could not; frankly, we aren't even sure if we managed to find all their stops. By the time they met the Sins of Sloth, the Successors were Phantoms already as powerful as Specters. I am quite certain they treated our people like flies."
"No surprise there; if they did get to the level of Specters. It would be impossible to monitor them without their knowledge. They might have found you annoying but didn't think you could affect their plans," Lilly remarked.
"They should be lucky it ended there. If Bashir and Zuri knew that Nandi and Zinhle were spies, they might have destroyed IRIS instead. I know I would have if it were me," Jo added.
While a bit far-fetched, Jo's words did seem plausible. But I believe the affection their Successors held for Zanele's spies is what protected the two. After all, neither really betrayed their men. And both remained by their side till they were told to leave.
"It truly was fortunate they didn't decide to attack our people. Their might had surpassed entire countries despite meeting only 5 of their Sins. Going back to Bashir and Zuri, for this period neither man had a visible goal. Frankly, they were wasting time."
"That's kind of harsh, don't you think, Zanele San? Maybe they have a goal only they can understand," Aki retorted.
"No, it is just as their Sin implies. They were lazy. I am sure you all must have guessed by this point. The term the Seven Sins is very apt as a label for the harem of the Successor. Primarily because the term was created for them. A fact I only learned much later."
"Are you implying that the term the Seven Sins, created by the pope, did not just match by coincidence? The church created it for the harem of the Sins? During the 6th Century?" Jas asked in disbelief.
"Yes. According to Roland, that was how long the IRIS had been trying to understand the Successors. A member of IRIS in the tracking group listed it for convenience. His notes slipped in a chapel, which is how the Church came to use the term."
"That has to be bullshit!"
"I wish it were Successor. But it isn't. That just goes to show how long back the Successors go. Even after more than a millennium, IRIS still has yet to grasp the full picture," Zanele said with a wry smile.
"Oi, everyone, shut it! Nelle, cut the crap and get to the point. What happened next? The Sins of Lust, yeah?"
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The Soldat matriarch nodded as she continued, "Yes, Lady Rhiannon. After the first four legacies, the Successors wander aimlessly during the period of Sloth. This is contrary to their actions then. It could go on for as short as a few months or as long as a few years.
"I must note that, during this time, the Successors became very antisocial. They go for weeks without speaking. And when confronted they would retaliate or throw tantrums like children. But they all get out of this rut in exactly the same manner. A woman would catch their eye. The Sin of Lust."
Jas, hearing her Sin next walked towards me and sat on my lap. Jo knew what her sister wanted, so she gave up the left post to her dark-skinned sister. Aki similarly came to my right and began to pressure Bella to leave. Zanele ignored their antics and continued.
"The Sins of Lust are normally from a different place than the Successor. But they all fulfill the same objective. They fall in love with the Successors and teach them how to be human once more. "
"Explain," Jas said curtly.
"Completely opposite to the urgency and drive they once showed, they acted dispirited and burned out. I mentioned earlier that the Sloth periods can span months or years, right? We know this as when Bashir and Zuri began to laze about, we allowed them to rest.
"But eventually we tried to get them to get back to work. We even sent Nandi and Zinhle to them at one point, but they did not say anything and just ran away. With no other recourse, we just continued to monitor them. But then one day, it all would change."
"The Sins of Lust arrive," I mumbled.
"Yes. Only the Sins of Lust would mingle with the Successors for days. The other Sins took only hours. In the span of a week, the Sin of Lust would charm, flirt, and shower the Successors with affection. This would make them giddy, happy, and full of life.
"It is during this period that the Successors shed the chains that bind them. They would passionately seek the Sins of Lust. And regain their former personalities in the process. After seven days, the Sins of Lust would finally give in and grant the men their sixth Legacy."
I see. That was why Zanele said that the Sin of Lust was special. After the trauma of the legacy of Envy and the depression of the legacy of Sloth, only the Sin of Lust could piece the Successors back together.
'I could understand; love has the power to heal all wounds.'
Zanele then made a sad expression as she shared what happened next.
"But for reasons I still do not know. Even the Sins of Lust cannot escape the end of the Sins. They all eventually take their own lives after consummating their love with the Successors. We tried to stop them, but we couldn't."
"You tried to stop them?" I repeated.
"Yes, as we knew the tendency of the Sins, we wanted to protect the Sins of Lust. Unlike those that came before them, the Sins of Lust were willing to give us time to move. But ultimately, they always died no matter how we intervened. And they always did so with a smile."
Jas took my hand in hers and clenched it hard. As if the feeling of my flesh gave her the assurance she needed. "Did none of you ask why they had to die?"
At her question, the one to answer was not the Soldat matriarch but the observers of the Successors.
"We did. And they answered the same thing," Nandi said in low spirits.
"Everything I do, I do for him," Zinhle said in a trembling voice.
A sudden silence fell over the hut. How did the words of the Sins of Lust even make any sense? Yet they were sure enough to end themselves for their Successors? Why?
"I know that it is quite depressing to hear. But we are near the end. It could be said that the first six Sins are but the opening act. Successor, I can finally explain to you how the Sins of Gluttony differ from the others. They wish to kill the Reapers to end the world."
Aki grabbed my hand much like Jas did as she listened. That was the same thing Zanele said earlier, which at that time did not make sense. But if the Sins of Gluttony were anything like the Sins of Lust, there might be a deeper story there.
"Anata."
At Aki's abrupt call, I turned to her. She then dropped a bomb I didn't expect.
"Anata, Zanele's analysis of the Sins of Gluttony is accurate. I followed you in the enlistment simply to survive. But I aimed to seduce you and have you murder the Revenants. More specifically, I chose you to perform my vengeance in my stead."
