Chapter Text
Humans.
Humans can be such complex creatures filled with such deep emotions like hate, disgust, gratitude, love, pride, sadness, despair, and many others. However, a strong emotion like hatred and loathing will drive a human to carry out horrid acts of sin. Such awful acts lead them into an afterlife that isn't golden gates or little cherubs but a place of fire and pitchforks.
Only those who show selfless acts and kindness are then shown a life of peace in the afterlife. They will never know what it is like to live in a world of darkness ruled by the seven deadly sins.
Pride. Greed. Wrath. Envy. Lust. Gluttony. Sloth.
Jungkook has always had a fascination with the concept of such a place existing. Is there really such a thing as an afterlife so heinous and unpleasant? Can there really just be two places? Heaven and Hell.
He stares down at the flyer in his hand that was given to him by a student in class. The boy had slipped it into his notebook before rushing out, covering his face with a hoodie. Usually, this would creep anyone out, but Jungkook was more bewildered by what was on the flyer. It was a black piece of paper with flames and bold red letters (obviously, that was going to catch his attention). There was a location and date for a "demon summoning" ritual in the town's graveyard. The top said, "Seven Deadly Sins Club," in bold red lettering.
Was this club allowed by the school? Are demon summonings approved by the dean?
Jungkook couldn't say it didn't intrigue him, as he likes going to his biblical studies class on otherworldly creatures. It could be good research he can bring up later with his professor on the passion behind humans wanting to summon a literal demon onto earth.
A small part of him was scared to go, as he hoped that when he eventually kicks the bucket, his soul would go to heaven and be greeted by angels and a golden staircase to ascend. Would going to a demon summoning be his one-way ticket to the fiery pits of hell?
He stuffed the tempting black paper into his school bag and rushed off to the courtyard to meet up with his friends.
"No."
"Nope."
"Oh! Definitely not."
The sound of a loud sigh stopped the man from continuing to speak.
"Tae. Darling. Can you stop trying to find our beloved among these dull mortals?"
The brunette let out a huff and crossed his arms. He was sitting in a tree above a crowd of college students crossing campus to get to their next lecture. There was no worry of a mortal spotting him, as he could be invisible to the human eye. He was only visible to those he wanted to reveal himself to.
"I will know it is him when I see him."
Jin rolled his eyes and sighed. He was flapping his bat-like wings to stay afloat next to his lover. His purple arrow-ended tail whipped behind him in slight annoyance.
Jin was known to stay in his demon form often because he liked the way it made him look. The small curved horns on his head allowed his crown to lie comfortably on top. The silver bejeweled headpiece was his favorite accessory and reminded those of his royal status.
"Hyung. We can't give up on searching. I will never forget how he was stolen from us."
The silver prince flew closer to his beloved and hugged him from behind. His long arms wrap around his shoulders, and his face snuggles into his neck.
"Don't worry, my feisty one. We will find him, and then we will all be together again, the way it was always meant to be."
The brunette looked up at his hyung and had a tearful smile. He held the wrapped arms that enclosed him, and they stayed like that for a while. Just enjoying each other's presence.
"Kookie. What the actual fuck is this?"
His friend, Jaehyun, had the crumpled-up paper Jungkook had taken out of his bag to show his close circle in the courtyard. They were all sitting at their usual table for lunch just under one of the giant oak trees.
"A demon ritual! It's tonight, just at the graveyard a few miles away!"
Jaehyun looked at Jungkook like he had hit his head on his way to meet them. He stared at the obviously sketchy paper in his hands. Since when are satanic clubs just handing out invites to students in lecture rooms?
"Jungkook. I know you love to talk about the chances of an afterlife and if demons and angels are real, but don't you think even this is a little too over the top? Also, you don't even know the creep that gave this to you."
A scoff. Jungkook snatched the paper back and put it back in his bag.
"You don't get it. This is a research opportunity. What if they actually summon a demon and I am not there to witness it?". He stands up and bangs both hands on the table. Clearly very passionate in his pursuit of this truth.
His other friend, Caleb, joins in too, still chowing down on his sandwich. Mouth still full, "Yeah, I agree with Jae. I don't really think it's a good idea for you to go. What if it's a human sacrifice?"
Jungkook purses his lips. He didn't think about the sacrifice part of demon summonings. That is how they always do it in the movies.
"Doubtful. It's a school club, guys. It's probably just some weird rhyming spell and some candles. I just watch from afar. I can hide behind the trees so no one will even know I am there."
The two boys look at each other and shake their heads. Jungkook is stubborn, and they know he won't take their warnings.
Caleb goes back to finishing his lunch, "just text us after so we know you are even still alive."
A smile grows on Jungkook's face.
The fog is heavy.
It's wintertime, so all the trees are completely bare. Not a single leaf is left on the skinny twigs that extend from every branch. The only life in the graveyard is the crows that hang around to catch any small creatures scurrying around on the concrete tombstones.
The sky is a color of grey that lacks any hue. The only color is the green of the grass that thrives from the rainfall of the past week and the rotting corpses that enrich the soil.
Jungkook pulls his black hood further over his forehead and creeps through the headstones, careful not to be spotted by any club members.
Further up the way, through the fog, is a group of black-cloaked figures. Looks to be about five in a circle. Upon closer inspection, they are standing around a stone tomb that sits above ground. The top looks too heavy to be pushed off, but it just sits as a concrete box long enough to fit a human.
The figures are all holding candles and talking amongst themselves. Jungkook continues closer to the group to hear what they are saying.
"Club members! Thank you for coming out tonight for our first demon summoning!"
One of the taller members speaks with a booming voice and has all the attention as he waves his hands around.
"Tonight is a special night. After weeks of researching and practicing, we are finally ready to try out what we learned! We are going to summon the sin of wrath!"
The sin of wrath?
Wrath is, in his opinion, the worst demon to summon out of all of the seven deadly sins. It is literally the sin of revenge and anger. What could they possibly want with the most hateful demon?
Jungkook goes as close as he can and crouches beside a tree, and continues to observe this bizarre group.
"Lucas. If you could please take the chalk and draw the pentagram on the tomb." The tallest cloaked figure motions to one of the boys, who bends down and takes a piece of chalk from the ground. He then goes to the tomb and begins to draw on the lid.
He watches as the figures are given orders, as each is lighting candles around the chalked star. He sees a glare of a silver point, and his eyes widen at the sharp knife that is drawn from the pocket of the smallest cloaked figure.
Jungkook is now sweating a bit from knowing a sharp knife can't mean this is just a candle and holding hands kind of summoning. This is going to involve blood.
He quickly realizes this isn't worth the research and takes a step back to start heading back to his bicycle at the entrance of the graveyard. Just then, he hears a snap of a twig. Only it's not coming from the group in front of him, but behind him.
Just as fast as Jungkook whips around him, he is stopped by hands grasping at both of his arms. Two black figures have him trapped on either side. They begin to overpower him and drag his body along the grass and dirt toward the tomb.
"LET GO! LET GO!" he screeches, trying to kick and shake off the hands gripping tighter and tighter.
"Thought you would be harder to force, but guess you are weaker than you look," says one of the figures as they make a tug on his arm and send him falling forward.
He lands in the dirt and groans from the forceful handling of the men who dragged him.
"Jungkook," says the booming voice above him.
Jungkook lifts himself on his two hands and looks up at the figure in front of him.
The tallest cloaked figure looks down at him and crouches so they are almost at eye level. He cups Jungkook's chin in his right hand. His face is covered by the darkness. Facial features hidden.
"How did you know I was here?" Jungkook says in a panicked voice.
"Who do you think slipped you that invitation? I knew you wouldn't be able to resist," the hidden-faced man stroked up his cheek and tugged his hoodie down off his head.
"You will be perfect. I knew it from the moment I met you."
The cloaked figure lifted his hood, and there Jaehyun was, staring back at him with a sinister grin on his face. That was the last thing Jungkook saw before a cloth was shoved in front of his nose, and the world went black.