Bad Influence (Seven Deadly Sins #2) ✅ Completed

Chapter One: In Dreams

In Dreams

    

“What do you know about good and evil, Eliza?” Dante’s voice floated around me though I couldn’t see him. In truth, I couldn’t see anything.

“The basics I guess. Killing people is evil, helping the homeless is good. You know, that sort of thing,” I replied, trying to make some sense of my surroundings. Where the heck was I?

“What do you know of good and evil’s origin on earth?” he asked now.

“Well…according to the church, evil comes from the devil. Eve bit into the forbidden apple of knowledge because she gave into temptation. Though, you can’t really blame her entirely since she was goaded into it by the snake that was the devil in disguise. To really make things worse, she passed the apple to Adam who took another bite and messed it up for everybody. Though, why Eve is seen as being the only one at fault here is really beyond me. I mean, if you ask me, Adam could’ve said ‘No thanks, babe.’ and rolled on. But no…”

There was a flash of light and suddenly I found myself in a kitchen, sitting at a table I’d never seen before. The room was done in white and yellow, with a checkered black and white tiled floor.  It was so throwback, it was the very epitome of retro.

“What if I were to tell you that evil existed long before the fall of the Lord’s favorite angel?” Dante asked. He was standing by a window and he turned back to look at me.

“Well, I guess I'd ask how you'd would know that?”

“Because I was there,” It was bright and sunny in the room, but the light felt wrong. It felt cloudy and dense, as if seen through a haze. If it bothered Dante at all, he gave no indication. He continued speaking, “When the Morning Star fell, do you know where he landed?”

“In hell. In the dark abyss somewhere under our surface,” I said trying to breathe through the density of the room. It was no easy feat and it was a little annoying that Dante didn't seem to be suffering like I was.

He nodded slightly, “Yes, but where exactly?" he asked.

"Where in Hell?" I snorted, "I don't know. I mean, how would I know that? Does Hell come with a map like the mall or something?"

"He fell into the dark, Eliza,” Dante replied, sighing like he was losing some of his patience. 

Typical. He couldn't even be patient with me in my dreams.

“Oookaayy,” I said, stretching the word out. "What's your point?"

“My point is the darkness was already there. He did not create the evil; it welcomed him with open arms. My father, the Darkness, is that evil.”

“So, what does that make you?”

“I am Shadow, his first son.”

“And Asher, he’s your brother right? Is that why you wouldn’t tell me about him? Why you didn’t tell me you were just like him?”

“Asher is not like me,” he seethed.

“Well, what I actually said was that you didn’t tell me you were like him, but that’s close enough I guess.”

“No, it is not, Eliza. We share the same blood but that does not in fact make us alike in the slightest,” Dante replied disgusted.

“How do you figure that, exactly?” I tried to cross my arms but I couldn’t move. I tried again, but no dice. Great, I couldn’t move or breathe in this place. What kind of freaky dream was this?

"Asher is my father’s offspring. An entity born, one that looks like me but designed to my father’s exact specifications,” he explained.

"Like a clone?”

“Not exactly.”

“Ok, so now I really am lost.” I tried to stand up and nothing again. Who the heck was running this crazy dream that I couldn’t even move in?  

Dante continued as if he didn’t notice my struggling, “I was created, Eliza, not born. Asher was born of an unholy union not created.”

I gave up trying to move and just listened at this point, because really, what else was I going to do? “What? Are you saying there’s a difference?”

“Absolutely.”

“Ok, so if Asher was born of an unholy union, does that make him a demon?”

“Yes.”

“Are you?”

“No.”

“Then what are you, Dante?” I couldn’t help keep the frustration out of my voice. It was like talking in a circle with him sometimes.

“I am a true creature of the dark. Created by the void – not born of a union, though Asher’s father is my own.”

"The Darkness, right?”

Dante nodded.

Well at least I wasn't totally lost, just somewhat lost. “Alright, let's forget that crazy logic for a second. What did Asher mean about you not forgetting your obligation to him?”

He turned back and looked out the window as he spoke, “My father was displeased with my growing empathy for man. We did not agree on your…worth.” he was quiet for a moment before continuing, “After some heavy persuasion, we came to an agreement.”  

“What sort of agreement?” I asked, knowing that whatever it was, it probably wouldn't be something that inspired warm and fuzzy feelings. His next few words proved it.

“I could reside on earth among man so long as I helped to spread his special brand of evil. In return, he would not consume your entire species but only take those that were marked for him.”

“What about God? Surely, He wouldn’t allow your father to do that.”

“God created light, then he created man according to your own Holy book. But who created God?” He turned back to face me, “When you think of God, what do think of?”

“Knowledge, power, mercy, forgiveness, love…”

“Ah, love.  There it is,” he sighed, “Love and goodness, would you say that is a fair assessment of your Lord?”

“Yes.”

“But what is goodness without evil? What is love without hate? What is light without dark?  In all things there is a cosmic balance.”

“Are you saying that God is the opposite of the Darkness?”

"No. God’s balance is the Void. The Darkness, my father, is simply a manifestation of it.”

“And you’re his son?”

“Yes. The seven deadly sins are my contribution to the evil on this plane. I had to release them in order to save your entire species.”

“And now?”

“Now...” Dante's voice trailed off as he gave a hearty sigh. He looked at me, his eyes gleaming in the light of the kitchen sun. “Now it’s time to collect, plain and simple.”

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*A/N:

Song Credit: Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These) - The Eurhythmics

Image Credit: A fabulous rendition of the "Fall"