Rev smacks Zach across the head and snickers, "No way you're starting off with your lame background story," He pounds his chest with one fist, "We're going from the oldest sin to the youngest."

The room settles, and Rev takes a deep breath, "Back in 1950, when the Great Depression was just becoming a distant nightmare, my parents decided to have their first child- me. The Korean war had begun and ended by the time I was old enough to walk properly, and all of our shows were black and white. My mom was an unpopular model, but she may have been the prettiest person I've ever seen. But, of course, her vanity was as big as her beauty, if not more. She was gorgeous, but she knew it. She was so vain, my father threatened to leave her if she didn't change her ways. She promised she would change, and they had another child, a sweet baby girl. But as time went on, my father couldn't stand her. He disappeared off the face of the earth. I don't remember much of those days, except that my mother lost almost all of her humanity when he left.

"As my sister grew up, she only got chubbier, but she was so happy. My mother wasn't. my mother hated her. If it was her child, it should be perfect. I ignored my mom, of course, and I loved my sister with all of my heart. As we continued to get older, my mother only got more and more harsh towards my sister. So much that my sister began to hate herself as much as my mom hated her. Honestly, my mother never paid much attention to me. I guess I'm grateful for that because when my mom left us, too, it didn't bother me. But my sister was heartbroken. She thought it was because of how ugly she was, though she was so, so beautiful. My sister was never naturally skinny, but she was never fat either. But her mind convinced herself she was. She began to starve herself. She would skip meals without me knowing, and when I forced her to eat, she would only make herself throw up again.

"This went on for months before I found out, and once I did find out, I couldn't do anything. She would scream at me and threaten to run away if I ever mentioned it because she knew how much I was afraid of being alone. One day, in 1916, I came home, and she was laying on the floor. She had collapsed on her way to answer the door for me. I yelled and I called for someone, but no one came. She died in my arms. And that's when Death came out of nowhere, and offered a deal so I could see her again. I didn't think about it and signed the stupid contract. I sold my soul at age freaking 19. And I've been 19 ever since, with no chance to see my sister, but I guess she's the reason I'm Gluttony. Ironic, right? My sister killed herself over not eating food so I'm in charge of the people who eat too much."

For a moment, the room is silent. Then Rev hurries, "Livia was transformed next, but we can just move on to Damien."

Damien nods, sending a comforting nod in Rev's direction, "Well," he begins, "My story's not as long, sorry not sorry, or as much of a sob story, so hang in there. So, I don't ever remember seeing my mother. She died in childbirth. I imagine she must've been a saint if God wanted to see her so soon. I was mostly raised by my dad, who refused to remarry, so I was an only child.

"I was born in 1963 when the Civil Rights were being barely introduced. I remember my dad never agreeing with that. He hated African Americans. And he hated me for loving them. Ever since I was little, I remember being so confused as to why it was such a big deal. I got slapped for telling my dad, 'Aren't they just people, too?' But that's just where it started. My dad had this built up hatred that just got worse and worse. This... uncontrollable wrath. And one day, he let it all loose. He... he went at me. Then, he got better for a while. I was scarred, but I thought we would be fine. Then it happened again. And again. After that, I couldn't take it anymore. I ran away. That's when Death showed up, and I signed the stupid contract. He made me Wrath. Because of my father's wrath I suppose."

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, so I looked down, eager to hide them. Damien and Rev were the sweetest people she knew. They didn't deserve to be sins. They deserved to live a real life and go to heaven. They deserved so much more than the promise of Hell.

Kianna cleared her throat, probably shoving down the same feeling coursing through my heart. "Guess it's my turn," she smiles weakly. "I was born a year after Damien, so I grew up around the same society, but unlike Rev and Damien, I was the cause of my own demise. I'm an orphan, and I never knew my parents, but I went around from one house to another with foster care. I stole food from stores and money from people. I was never a good kid. I was so bitter and poor, and I decided that those around me didn't deserve the things they had.

"When I turned 14, I started gambling. I was so ridiculously good that I got rich fast. But I was so young, any time I won, it was blamed on cheating. Eventually, people started holding grudges and by the time I was 17, there had even been attempts to murder me. I should've stopped there and abandoned all of that, but I got greedy. I went at it harder than ever, this time losing money quicker than I was gaining it. One particularly lucky day, or so I thought, I had won the biggest gamble I'd ever played, and I was beyond excited. I got cocky. When I was walking down the streets that night, they came out of nowhere. I was struck down by something small, and the pain was pure agony. It took a second before I realized I had been shot. And then they ran. And I lay there dying. That's when Death appeared. He told me I had lived my life with so much greed that I deserved to die and go to Hell. Then he told me that he had a better option. And pulled out the contract."

Adrian stepped forward next, talking for the first time that night, "You're all making this too long so I'll shorten it up. My story is simple. I was born the laziest person ever in 1967. My family deemed me useless and kicked me out of the house. That's when Death found me, and here I am today, paying for my mistakes as Sloth."

That's when Caleb cuts in, "There is a lot more to the story than that, Adrian." Adrian shrugs, and Caleb continues, "While my brother here was possibly the laziest boy alive, he was also the smartest. He didn't go to school because he already knew everything the teachers were teaching. Our parents were angry because he didn't go anywhere, but that was because he didn't need to. He's very logical, you see, and where's the logic in going outside for a stroll? There's no purpose. It's just a waste of time. That's why the ma and pa kicked him out. I thought that unfair, so I left with him. We found a place to live and both got jobs. For a while, it was pretty great. But one day, Adrian just kind of disappeared. I went to the police, but they couldn't find him anywhere. I searched for as long as I could, long past when the police gave up. One day, I saw a Guardian. They offered me a chance to see my brother again, as long as I agreed to their terms. I agreed, and I became Patience. The counteract to Adrian's sloth. Now I look after him and make sure he doesn't break any rules."

"Wait," I say, "the counteract? Like, a guardian assigned to a sin?"

Caleb grins, "Yup, they are assigned to the sin near the time the sin is created. As there have been more sins, there have also been more Guardians. Some of them prefer to work in silence, which is maybe why you never heard of it."

My expression glows with wonder, "Who's my counteract?"

"Chastity. She's pretty shy, to be honest. I've heard her gush about how kind you are, though."

My face reddens again, for like the hundredth time that night. A guardian thinks a sin is kind? What kind of people are they?

"My turn!" Zach laughs, practically shooting up from where he was sitting, "Alright everyone, listen in and prepare to be blown away." He winks at me and I roll my eyes. "It was a dark and stormy night," he begins with a low and ominous tone, "when I was born. My mom used to say I came out of the womb just glowing with perfection. My parents loved me immediately. But they were two extremely stubborn people, and they always butted heads. They didn't hate each other or anything, they just didn't get along. Eventually, they decided a marriage wouldn't work, and got a divorce. My mom got custody over me, and life was pretty great. I got two birthdays, two Christmases and twice as many chances to be spoiled. I was a football player, and my high school years were great. The years flew by pretty quick, and quite frankly, I don't remember most of them.

"My pride was my greatest pro, but also became my greatest con. One day Death just kind of appeared out of nowhere and he was like, 'Hey bro, come live forever in glory and fame,' and I was all like, 'Heck yeah, bro, sign me up!' So he did. Who knew it would be an unknown fame. Like everyone knows pride, but no one actually knows Pride, you know?"

Rev's glare just for Zach returns, and I chuckle at the story, "So like, nothing actually happened to you? You just kind of got chosen?"

He shrugs, "Yup. I was just so awesome, he had to choose me."

Rev grunts, "or he was desperate."

Zach sticks his tongue out at the response, bringing smiles around the room. The playful encounter seems to lighten the mood.

"So," Kianna continues, "how could all of our pasts be related to the black demon thing in your souls?"

Caleb cuts in, "Wait, what about Seven's past? That's got to do with it, right?"

Zach replies for me, lifting an eyebrow and waving his hands around for effect, "It's got everything to do with it."

Caleb looks confused, so I clear it up for him.

"You see," I look into his brown eyes, filled with a glistening sense of wonder, "My problem is that I don't remember my past."