Malum {Undergoing Major Editing}

Chapter Twenty: The Vision.

Joshua's POV:

My vision blackened and the strangest thing occurred. I dreamt. Dreaming came to me easily and so does sleep. Why would I sleep in a river?

For a moment everything was white, no colour at all. Was something wrong? Then colour blossomed. All I could see was a figure of a girl, which then turned into Maia. Maia Sterling. My girlfriend. My best friend.

I remembered what Kindness had told me about this river. It showed your deepest desires. I smiled at the thought that Maia is my deepest desire. I focused more on her face but it was contorted with sadness. I wanted to ask what happened but I was pulled backwards by an invisible force. I heard footsteps and looked over at the source of the sound. A man, whose face I couldn't see, approached Maia and her face lit up with happiness. She gave him a kiss. I could feel my heart shattering into a million pieces but she was happy, so I regained myself a bit.

I could feel a hand grasp onto mine as I turned my head to see the new figment of my dream. Kindness. She stood next to me, holding my hand tightly, smiling from ear to ear. She kissed my cheeks and muttered,

"I love you."

I jolted awake, still underwater, trashing nonstop, trying to escape the clutches of the invisible force, but it was not there. I looked over and saw Lust, Wrath and Maia still in the water. What had my dream meant? I swam forward, trying to get out. Finally, Oxygen entered my body. I saw some of the sins gasping and coughing, helping each other to stay upright.

What had just happened? What did that vision mean? I'm so confused right now.

My thoughts got interrupted by a raging Lust, who emerged from the water.

Lust's POV:

I never dream. Never. Not once and there was nothing wrong with that. However, I knew that tonight I will dream once I enter the waters of Cupiditatem. It was inevitable. The waters pry open your mind, digging for the deepest of desires and portray them as horrors to haunt and curse you. Once someone sees their deepest desires, they go insane, begging to change it. The truth hurts, but desire hurts even more.

I stood in front of my brothers. Each of them smiling. They all thanked me with open hearts.

What was going on?

They were bruised up but happy. They each hugged me, whispering words of gratitude. The last was the smallest. Wrath. He looked the worst, blood smears everywhere, bruises painted his body with purples and blues. This hair was black with soot and he limped when he walked over to me.

"Thank you brother," he said, pulling me into an embrace. I remained still, confused on what to do, but I hugged back.

I heard footsteps coming from behind me. Father. I immediately push Wrath behind me.

"No Lust, you don't have to protect me anymore," Wrath informed, "Father is gone."