Eyes filled with dread, body stiff, encaged inside layers of reinforced armour, trembling hands gripping instruments of destruction, standing amidst a numerous amount of identical copies of myself. When did I end up in this situation, even I didn't know. Last thing I remembered, were the planks holding the weight of the bunk above my head, and all of a sudden, I was grouped with the rest of my brethren, being transported to who knows where. It all happened so fast, my mind didn’t have time to process any of it. Couldn’t even bid farewell to JN nor DVD. The constant spinning sounds emanating from the aircraft’s engines were driving me mad.

I looked around me, upper face hidden beneath the visor of my helmet, analysing the design of our arsenal. Gotta say, for people that were being sent to warfare, those suits were rather peculiar. Funny thing actually, Mammon and Mephisto had intense arguments regarding that very matter. Naturally, the arrogant bastard wanted them to be fashionable, representative of the ‘true gleam under the visage of a Sinner’, while mister hot-head, raged over the necessity behind the need for tactical and proper use.In the end, they had to settle in the middle, blending in an old-style knightly vogue, with the indispensable adaptability of modern combat gear. And of course, we couldn’t overlooked the trademark of our organisation, ingrained strongly in the front of our chestplate.

Anyway, enough about this ridiculous costume they labeled ‘armour’, ‘cause underneath the casings of metallic and wafer technology, stood mere mortals, marching straight into the lion’s den. Now, I understand your confusion regarding this whole situation and all the unexplainable questions I’ve raised in the matter of a few seconds, but fret not, for the answers will be given in due time...

Appearing valiantly from the ship’s forepart, Mephisto, or shall I say, Grand General Mephisto, as per his appointed role in the hierarchy, situated himself before us, gazing with a most grim vision. I’ve talked a great deal about the assholes who govern our facility, so safe to say, I’d be just a little more delighted, to converse about a man unlike the rest. Mephisto is the second most important member in The Council, one of The Firsts, and often considered the strongest Sinner in regards to pure strength, falling only one position behind The Light-Bringer himself. His feats are no laughing matter, and that can be traced back all the way to when he acquired his otherworldly powers.

Eons ago, when humanity judged The Firsts, those who dared to challenge God’s authority by consuming the forbidden Fruit of Life, he was the one whose sentence was the gruesomest of all. They say, after he managed to escape captivity, he sought refuge in a town far away, that resided next to the biggest volcano on earth, Ararat. He believed those people would offer solace and hospitality, and they did… at least in the beginning. Once they discovered his true identity, outrage broke amidst them, and their once amicable faces, were filled with disgust and fury. Honestly, the church had to be working overtime, trying to make The Sinners appear so horrific in the eyes of peasants. Alas, their fear and anger drove them to the edge, as they sent him descending into the fiery pits of the great Ararat, never to be seen again… or so they thought.

Legend has it, that many decades later, the once inactive volcano, erupted into a devastating surge that swallowed up every piece of land that was settled nearby, darkening the sky and spreading demise across the whole plane. The only thing left, was a shattered figure without any characteristics, floating atop the disaster, coated in flames of vengeance and hatred. Ever since that day, he has been the most devout believer of our cause. It would only be natural for him to be standing where he is today.

Dressed in solemn grace, he unfurled his corrupted arms, ready to address the condemned.