To Sin Is Divine

Zayne felt it before anyone else.

A pulse.

Like warmth, but wrong. Not comforting—consuming.

He dropped the prayer cloth he was folding and turned to the window.

The sky had darkened again. Not from clouds, but from grace inverted—a stillness too perfect to be real.

[System Alert: Sin Signature Approaching]

Class: Kindness (Mirror Variant)

Designation: Zayne_02

Status: Sin-Mirror Active

"…It's me," Zayne whispered.

The Arrival

Outside the southern gate of Velharem, he stood.

Identical robes. Identical face. Identical smile.

But the eyes were empty. Too kind. Too calm.

He held a staff of pure white wood wrapped in red silk, dripping with holy light that burned the ground where it touched.

Around him, the dead stirred.

They rose.

Not in rage.

But with peace.

Smiling.

"No more suffering," the Mirror-Zayne said gently. "They deserved kindness… so I gave it."

Kael and the others arrived at the wall.

Ren squinted. "He's… healing corpses?"

"No," Serah said darkly. "He's reanimating them. With forgiveness."

Ten raised a blade. "He's making martyrs of monsters."

The Confrontation

Zayne stepped forward alone.

The Mirror smiled wider. "You know me."

"I know what I was afraid to become," Zayne said.

The Mirror tilted his head. "Why let them suffer when you can take their pain and make them gentle again?"

"Because pain teaches growth," Zayne said. "Because some wounds have to heal on their own."

[System Prompt: Sin Mirror Engaged]

"Warning: Host will experience personal memory resonance."

Suddenly—

Zayne was back in the infirmary of his youth.

He saw himself standing over his mother's corpse.

He had tried to heal her.

He had begged the gods.

He had even tried to bring her back.

The mirror stood beside him.

"You could've given her peace," it whispered. "You could've forgiven the illness. Instead, you let her die."

Zayne gritted his teeth.

"She died with dignity."

"You call that love?"

"I call it truth."

The Battle Begins

The Mirror raised his staff.

[Skill: Endless Mercy]

"All enemies struck by this spell are pacified. They forget rage, pain… and will."

Kael leapt in front of Zayne, blade raised. "Don't let it touch you!"

Ren blinked as his hands trembled. "Why do I feel calm and terrified at the same time?"

Ten growled. "He's erasing our reason to fight."

Zayne closed his eyes.

Then opened them—glowing with gold.

[Virtue Ignition: Kindness – True Form Unlocked]

Feathers of light unfurled from his shoulders like wings.

His hands blazed with healing flame that did not comfort, but cut through illusions.

Final Clash: Kindness vs Kindness

Zayne flew forward, striking his Mirror with divine light.

The Mirror reeled, but smiled through the burn.

"You want them to fight their pain?" it asked. "Even if it kills them?"

"Yes," Zayne said. "Because mercy without truth is cruelty wearing perfume."

The Mirror cracked.

Its face distorted.

It began to beg.

"Please… don't make me hurt anymore…"

Zayne stepped forward, voice shaking.

"I know what you are. You're the part of me that wanted to stop every tear, no matter the cost."

He held out his hand.

"I don't need to destroy you."

The Mirror hesitated.

Then lunged.

Zayne didn't move.

He simply embraced it—and let the flames burn between them.

Aftermath

The Mirror screamed once.

Then vanished.

Zayne dropped to one knee, exhausted.

Kael ran to his side. "You okay?"

Zayne nodded. "He was right about one thing…"

Ren crouched beside him. "Yeah?"

Zayne looked toward the horizon.

"There's a part of me that still wants to save everyone. Even when I know I can't."

Serah placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's why we're here. To remind each other where the line is."

System Update

[Sin Mirror Defeated: Zayne_02 – The Kindness That Kills]

[Virtue Strengthened: Kindness +10]

[New Skill Unlocked: Mercy Blade]

"A healing strike that purifies illusions and sins in allies and enemies alike."

Kael looked at the others.

"One down."

Elyan nodded solemnly. "Six remain."