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. What do you knowabout him? Why don t you trust him? I don t know anything about him personally, Wickclarified.She lowered her head and attempted to goback to writing in her grimoira, or to at least look likethat s what she was doing. But you know something. Lily looked at herplaintively. Wick, please. She pulled out the chairand sat down across from her. All I know is that his jacket smells like brimstone. Wick wanted to forget the conversation and wishedshe d never brought it up at all, but Lily staredexpectantly at her.Sighing, she set her pen inside herbook and pushed it aside. Did your mother ever tellyou about irins and daemons? My mother refused to talk to me about anything likethat, Lily shook her head. The only things I know Ioverheard from the servants talking. They re not the most reliable of sources. Wickpushed a stray strand of hair behind her ears andlooked down at the table. I suppose Iris planned onwaiting until you were old enough to explain all of this,but she died before she had the chance.I can t faulther for that, but she s left you so unprepared. Unprepared for what? Lily asked. Our world. Wick smiled thinly at her. Before theEarth belonged to man, good and evil lived openly,locked in an eternal battle with each other.Theirimmortality made them weary of the same fights, sothey devised a wager to settle it forever.Whoeverwon would have complete reign over the Earth, andwhoever lost would be banished for all of eternity. So they created man to settle a bet? Lily raised askeptical eyebrow. So the story goes, Wick nodded. The mostcunning daemon was chosen on the side of evil, andthe most valiant irin was chosen on the side of good.They were granted powers and privileges to helpthem, and while one of them was immortality, it cameat a price.They had to make sacrifices to stay alive.For the irin, that meant a chaste life, free of anyhuman pleasures, but for the daemon, that meantsomething far more deviant. What do you mean? Lily rested her arms on thetable, leaning in closer to Wick.She hung on everyword. I don t even really understand what an irin is. They re angels meant to watch over the Earth, tohelp mankind in the pursuit of good. Each of the irin and the daemon were allowedseven minions to help them on their conquests, Wickcontinued. While the minions were essentially created equal, so each side would be matchedperfectly, they had one difference; daemon minionswere turned from men, but irin minions were born. So the irin minions are children of angels? Lilyasked. Yes, originally, Wick nodded. In order for them tobe pure of heart, they had to be descended from anirin.Daniel, the leader of the irins, had sevenoffspring, called virtus.The virtus are here to servehim and help him in his quest to save the Earth. So the virtus are immortal, too? Yes, and no, Wick said. They can give up theirdivinity if they choose, rescinding their immortality andservitude for a human life, but to do so, they must beara child to take their place. Why? Why can t Daniel conceive more children? Lily asked. He can t partake in Earthly pleasures, Wickexplained. That is his sacrifice.He can t have anymore children, and there must be seven virtus onEarth at all times. Why seven? Lily shook her head, unable tounderstand. Each of the seven represent a virtue; castimonia,humilitas, caritas, humanitas, sophrosyne, patientia,and industria, Wick said, and Lily stared at her. Its Latin, the language of old, but it means chastity,humility, charity, kindness, temperance, patience, anddiligence.Virtus go by their Latin names. They don t have real names? Lily asked. No.When you are under the service of an irin oreven a daemon, you don t have your own name or anidentity.Your only wants and needs are that of yourmaster.Your purpose in life is singular serve andspread the meaning of your title. Wick watched Lilyintently, and Lily stared thoughtfully at the table. So, if you re the patience virtus, what do you do?You go around and wait for things? Lily asked. No, you try to teach patience, Wick said. You givepeople the opportunity to be patient, and help themthrough their strife.While your strength is your ownvirtue, your mission above all is to help people staygood and true, Wick said. And for every irin there is a daemon counterpart? Lily asked. Does that mean for every virtu there is anequal and opposite daemon minion? Yes, unfortunately it does, although they are notoffspring of a daemon the way virtus are offspring ofan irin, Wick said. Evil doesn t need to be pure towork effectively.Daemons wish only to corrupt, sotheir minions are humans who have given theirallegiance to them.They choose to serve the daemons in exchange for immortality, but like thevirtus, it can be given up or taken away. I don t understand the point of all of this, Lily shookher head and leaned back in her seat. The conceptof angels and demons and their minions runningabout the Earth.All for what? For the Earth itself.They have two sides, evenlymatched in every way, to see whether good or evil willconquer mankind, Wick said
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