Temptation strode through the halls. He ignored the tendrils that seemed to pour out of his body and touch those nearby.

Usually, he had no troubles focusing his ability on to one temptation, be it that of lust, or that of the urge to push one self to the limits. Depending on his mood, he was almost always able to control what he emitted.

Temptation had better control over his ability than many others had. Some had to resort to help to control their abilities, but he was one of the few who could not only focus his gift on others, but he could keep himself separate from his gift.

Though days like this, he didn’t bother. The gift weakened because of this, altering with his mood.

Memories flooded his emotions. Disease running, laughing as he passed by. He remembered … He had looked at the couple he’d been focusing his ability on, and knew he had to leave.

Because he was distracted, he hadn’t been focusing on his duty, so the flow ran raped.

Pattering down the hall came Fate, he hadn’t even known she was there until she ran into him. Or had he run into her? He glare at her, hardly realizing his gift shifted around her, probing her thoughts and pushing at that one thing she’d played with leaving alone.

He hissed as she looked at him, crystal eyes like ice against his soul. Suddenly, something turned on him, and he had to take a few steps back. Suddenly he had the urge to go find that couple. That was, if they were still alive. Maybe he could get them to finish what he’d been pushing them to do, only this time; he’d be doing it to help populate human kind.

Faith glared at him. What had he done? Blinking after her, he focused his energies back into himself, so that they would not reach out to touch another so unwilling.



Temptation leaned close to the couple, grinning as the boy ran a callused hand over a sun kissed cheek. She wanted him, but she was afraid. He pressed the temptation of lust towards her, causing her knees to grow weak, and her body to sway forward so he could hold her in place, and touch kisses along her neck. He had them. He was so close.

“Ah… Temptation.”

He shuddered, sudden alarm sweeping past him. He straightened, staring at the hunched shadow-figure standing behind the girl. She trembled and pushed the boy away. They argued.

Temptation growled. “Do you know how long that took me? Damn it, Fear.”

“Tsk-tsk.” The hooded head tilted back, maniacal teeth gleaming from beneath the gray. Temptation shivered. “What is temptation without fear? Or you without me for that matter?”

“I’m not doing this for me. The human population needs to swell again. You know as much as I do that if they die out, we do too.”

“Do we? Or is that just your fear talking?”

Damn him! Temptation cursed and moved forward, tendrils of lust caressing the girl’s neck, arm, and side. She shuddered, the conflicting emotions confusing her.

Temptation growled. “Back off.”

“Dear Temptation. You’re like all the others. You are all alike. Even a rare few humans know me for my true gift.”

“True gift? How is fear a gift? To make others afraid of everything and anything?”

“Ah, dear Temptation.” Fear slid forward, his cloaked form made him seem like a shadow, and when he walked, it was as if he floated. He was tall, gray and hunched, his face was pale, though usually covered by the hood of that cloak he kept sheltered over his body.

“Maybe one day you will see, my son.”

“Son? -“

Fear was in front of Temptation now, a bony, pale finger resting on his lips. Sweat beaded his brow, those tendrils of lust he’d created turned into tendrils of disgust. They wrapped about Fear’s wrist, but he just smiled. The gift that tried to coax Fear to step back was wasted. Temptation dulled his gift so it wouldn’t travel to the humans, who were close to one another again, and moving away from he and Fear. Smiling, Fear spoke.

“To know fear is to know one’s boundaries. To know fear is to be cautious. Fear is not a bad thing. Fear helps humanity stay in tact. Though, you, as well as they, hate me, you can not deny that I am, and will always be needed, because I am the root of survival.”

Chuckling, she sidled backwards, fading. Temptation squinted as a fog seemed to cloud his mind, an echo resounding in his head as he looked after the man.

“Play with your toys.”

* * * *