Seven Deadly Men

  Sloth felt his heart pound against his chest, almost positive it would burst. He would have welcomed that at this point, anything was better than watching everything crumble before your eyes. He wished he had been in his precious dream land, doing as he pleased. He had the feeling he'd be going there soon, only this time he would not return. He stared at the man before him, whom had an accomplished look on his face as he gripped the hilt of his sword. He felt his time in The Land of Mania was coming to a close. A world without laziness. He thought to himself. I refuse to let that happen....people must dream.

He chuckled to himself, staring at the man before him. "Pride...you've really done it this time."

Pride had unsheathed his sword, still gripping the tilt tightly. "I have done nothing. You betrayed The Sins...for that you must pay."

"And Envy?" He asked, pointing to the dead boy's body that lay no more than ten feet from Pride. "He was but a child...a kid...what justifies his death?"

Pride turned his gaze to the young eighteen year-old sin, a smirk crossing his face. "He was too young, naive...he would have been our downfall. His effect on Earth...it is not needed. As Sins...we have a reputation to uphold...and he hindered that reputation."

"All sins are needed!" He spat out with a passion. "We need each other...there is not one sin more effective than the other."

Pride bellowed laughter, sending chills down Sloth's spine. "The only sins we need are Wrath...Greed...and I. The rest of you are nothing...useless!"

Sloth took a step forward, balling his hands in to fists. "So you were plotting..."

"Heh...do not think I wasn't aware...your mind was always working Sloth. You planned it from the start...you..Lust...don't think I don't know you were planning on taking Envy with you as well." He motioned to the lifeless body.

Sloth said nothing, knowing deep down inside Pride was right. Since the start, he plotted in his mind. He never intended on acting on it, however. Being the stagnant man that he was, he always left room for thinking. He never moved more than a foot, but the wheels in his mind constantly turned. He did want to run the show with Lust and Envy, but not because he was a traitorous sin...but because he knew Pride was capable of such treachery himself. He wanted to be prepared for the moment Pride would turn his back on the Sins, and he wanted to take the closest thing he had to family with him. Lust and Envy.

"Sloth,,,you were always wise far beyond your years. It really is a shame I can't trust you..."

"Pride..." He choked out, feeling a lump in his throat. He knew this was the end, but he had no clue how to prevent it. He couldn't help but marvel at the irony of it all. He spent his whole life as a sin bringing forth the end, and now that it was here, not particularly how he imagined it, he couldn't stop it.

Pride began to advance on him. "Imagine a world where people kill for their own needs...and feel no guilt, but pride. That world will be Earth."

With that, before Sloth could utter another breath, Pride leaped at the surprised sin and thrust the sword deep in to Sloth's chest. As the pain filled his body, he let out a cry of suffering. Everything around him went black, and the sounds around him faded to a muffle.

"Now...sleep forever, Sloth." Were the last words he heard. His last thoughts, however, were of his brothers. Lust and Envy...see you in dream land.