Rain poured over the city like the heavens themselves were crying. Thunder rolled through the night sky, and flashes of lightning split the darkness.
Keghan Lengard ran across the empty street, clutching his backpack tight against his chest. The storm had grown worse, and he could hardly see what was ahead. His shoes splashed through puddles, soaking his jeans, but he didn't stop. The sound of his heartbeat echoed louder than the rain.
He was late for a project again, late for another exam, late for another day that would pass like all the others. To him, life had become a blur of unfinished things and quiet failures. Yet even in that storm, he still ran, as if something inside him refused to give up.
Lightning flashed once more, brighter this time. In that single second, he saw his reflection in a shop window, tired eyes, messy hair, and a face that looked far older than his age.
He barely had time to breathe before he heard it, a metal screaming, tires skidding on wet ground. A truck was spinning toward him, its lights blinding white.
He didn't even scream. There was only the sound of thunder.
Then silence.
When Keghan opened his eyes, he expected to see the sky or perhaps nothing at all. But instead, he saw light. Soft, pale light that flickered like a dying candle.
He was lying on a cold stone floor, his body weak, his breath shallow. The air smelled of dust and blood. The walls around him were cracked, covered in strange symbols that glowed faintly blue. The roof was broken, letting the rain drip through holes above. He realized he was inside what looked like a silent, forgotten, ruined by time old temple.
He tried to move, but pain shot through his body. Every muscle felt heavy, like chains held him down. Confused, he whispered, "Am I... dead?"
"Not yet," a small voice answered.
Keghan froze. The voice was soft, weak, like it came from someone who had cried too long. He turned his head and saw a child lying near the altar. The boy's body was covered in dirt and bruises, and his white robe was torn. Yet his eyes... they glowed. A soft golden light shimmered from them, faint but pure.
The boy reached out a trembling hand. "Please... help me."
Keghan struggled to crawl closer. "Hey, hang on... what happened to you? Where am I?"
The child smiled sadly. "You heard me... even across worlds."
His voice was fading. "I called for help... and you came."
"Across worlds?" Keghan echoed, still in disbelief. "This... this isn't Earth?"
The boy shook his head slowly. "No. This world is dying. The Sins have taken everything. The skies, the rivers, the hearts of men... all poisoned."
He coughed, his breath shallow. "You... are my last hope."
Keghan didn't understand any of it. His mind raced, he wanted to deny it, to wake up and find himself in a hospital bed. But deep down, something told him this was real. Too real.
The child went on, his voice weakening with every word. "Each Sin rules from a Throne. Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride. They were once the protectors of this world... but when their hearts were corrupted, the world fell into ruin with them."
As he spoke, the temple began to shudder. A cold wind swept through the shattered walls, carrying faint cries of fury, whispers that crawled beneath Keghan's skin and made his blood run cold.
"Their power spreads like a disease," the child whispered. "People suffer, and the land bleeds. I prayed for someone who could fight them... someone who could bear the weight of their sins."
He looked straight into Keghan's eyes, light still glowing from his own. "You came because you still have something pure left inside you. A heart that refuses to give up."
Keghan's throat tightened. "I'm no hero. I don't even know how I got here."
The boy smiled, weak but peaceful. "You will learn. The world will guide you... and the System will help you."
"System?" Keghan repeated, frowning.
Before he could ask more, the temple's lights flickered. The boy's body began to glow brighter, so bright that Keghan had to shield his eyes.
The child whispered his final words. "Please... stop them. End the Sins. Save this world."
Then the boy's body broke apart into particles of light. They drifted through the air, surrounding Keghan like tiny fireflies. Warmth spread through his chest, followed by a burning pain in his right hand. He gasped as a glowing mark appeared, an intricate symbol made of circles and lines, shining red.
And then, a metallic voice echoed inside his mind:
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED: ATONEMENT PROGRAM INITIALIZED.]
[WELCOME, SELECTED SOUL.]
[PRIMARY MISSION: PURIFY THE SEVEN SINS.]
[WARNING: FAILURE WILL RESULT IN CORRUPTION.]
Keghan clutched his head as the voice echoed again and again. Information flooded his mind: strange words, glowing icons, unreadable codes. It felt like something was rewriting his very soul.
[NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: SIN SENSE – Detects corrupted energy nearby.]
[STARTING LEVEL: 0.]
[OBJECTIVE: Survive.]
The temple shook again. From the cracks in the walls, a thick, heavy, and alive dark mist began to rise. The air grew cold. Shadows crawled along the floor like living snakes.
Keghan stumbled to his feet, heart racing. "What... what is this?"
The voice answered calmly:
[FIRST CORRUPTION DETECTED.]
[ENGAGE OR PERISH.]
From the mist, twisted shapes, human-like but hollow figures began to form. Their faces were blank, and their eyes burned with red light. Each one whispered the same word in broken tones: "Sin... Sin... Sin..."
Keghan backed away, panic flooding through him. He grabbed a broken piece of stone from the floor, his only weapon. "Stay back!"
The shadows lunged.
He swung blindly, shattering one apart, but the mist reformed instantly. His breath grew sharp; his body felt weak again. Then, without warning, the mark on his hand flared. The glow burst outward, forming a thin barrier of light.
[SYSTEM RESPONSE: DEFENSIVE REACTION.]
[SIN ENERGY ABSORBED: 3 POINTS.]
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 2%.]
The creatures shrieked, fading into smoke. The air went silent once more. Only the sound of rain and Keghan's heartbeat remained.
He fell to his knees, gasping. "What... what's happening to me?"
The voice in his mind softened.
[You are the Atoner.]
[You carry the burden of this world's sins.]
[Each victory brings you closer to salvation or corruption.]
[Your journey begins now.]
The mark on his hand dimmed to a faint red glow. He looked at it for a long moment, the words echoing in his mind. Atoner. Salvation. Corruption. None of it made sense, yet it all felt terrifyingly real.
He rose slowly and looked around. The temple's roof was gone, the night sky open above him. The storm had ended. Only quiet rain fell through the broken ceiling, landing gently on the old stone floor.
He walked toward the altar where the child had been. All that was left was a small orb of light, pulsing weakly. When he touched it, a warm feeling spread through his hand. The voice whispered one last time:
[Quest Accepted: The Seven Thrones.]
[First Destination: The Crimson Veil City of Lust.]
[Prepare Yourself.]
Keghan looked up at the faint horizon outside the temple. Somewhere beyond the fog, a new world awaited, a world ruled by sin, broken and dying.
He clenched his fist, feeling the mark burn slightly against his skin. He didn't know why he was chosen. He didn't know what he was meant to become. But the child's voice still echoed in his memory: "Please… save my world."
In that moment, within the ruins of a world he didn't understand, Keghan made his first vow.
"I don't know who you were," he murmured into the darkness, "but I'll carry your promise."
The wind offered no reply. When the first light of dawn pierced through the fading storm, Keghan took his first step into the realm of sin.