Delson Snow Sr. stood atop his grand platform, gazing over the vastness of Corintopia. The once-great city, now twisted and corrupted by the presence of the Sinister 7, lay sprawled before him like a kingdom in ruin. The rings that had once been a testament to his power and control now looked sullied, tainted by the inferiority of those who claimed to rule alongside him.
The wind whipped through the air, carrying the faint sounds of the shades patrolling the streets below, but Delson paid them no mind. His eyes were locked on the distant horizon, where the First Ring, Second Ring, and the others lay. Each ring represented a member of the Sinister 7, and it disgusted him to know that he shared this world with them.
"They're unworthy," Delson muttered under his breath, his sharp eyes narrowing as he thought of them. "All of them."
His gaze swept over the First Ring, where Junna now ruled, her true form as the embodiment of Lust finally revealed. Her twisted, base desires disgusted him. Even before, when she had worn the mask of purity as a paladin, Delson had seen through her facade. She was weak—driven by impulses, ruled by her desires. Lust was a pathetic sin, one that would never truly understand the value of power. She might command the second largest territory in Corintopia, but in Delson's eyes, it was a mockery of the true strength that only he possessed.
"Nothing more than a slave to her own hunger," Delson sneered, his lip curling in disdain. "She parades about like a queen, but she's little more than a puppet to her impulses."
He turned his gaze to the Second Ring, where Cusi, the embodiment of Greed, resided. Delson could almost picture him now—sitting atop his hoard of gold, jewels, and worthless trinkets. Greed, in all its hollow ambition, had consumed him completely. Cusi's obsession with wealth and power made him blind to the greater truths, to the true grandeur of what Corintopia could have been.
Delson's hands tightened into fists as he thought of the riches that Cusi hoarded. Riches that could have served a greater purpose. Riches that could have been used to fortify Delson's empire. Instead, they were being wasted in the grubby hands of a petty thief pretending to be a ruler.
"He's nothing but a parasite, clinging to his gold," Delson hissed. "He thinks wealth makes him powerful, but he'll never know the true strength of ruling with a higher purpose."
His gaze shifted again, this time toward the Third Ring, where Kira, the embodiment of Envy, plotted. Kira, whose entire existence was defined by her jealousy of those around her, was perhaps the most pathetic of all. Her constant thirst for what others had, her endless desire to possess more, would forever keep her in a state of weakness. She would never be satisfied, never achieve greatness because she would always be looking to take what was not hers.
"She envies me," Delson said with a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Of course she does. They all do, but none of them will ever reach my level. They are children playing at power, envious of something they can never have."
Next came the Fourth Ring, where Cormac, the embodiment of Gluttony, reigned over his endless feast. Delson could almost smell the stench of excess wafting from the direction of Cormac's domain. The thought of it sickened him. Cormac, who consumed endlessly, had no discipline, no control. He was a pig, devouring everything in sight without thought or care for what truly mattered.
"He'll gorge himself into oblivion," Delson muttered, his eyes darkening with disgust. "Gluttony… what a disgrace. He's so focused on stuffing his face that he's too blind to see the bigger picture. Weakness wrapped in indulgence."
Delson's eyes flickered toward the Fifth Ring, his own domain, before glancing at the Sixth Ring, where Dmitri, the embodiment of Sloth, lay idle. Delson's disgust for Dmitri was almost palpable. Sloth was the greatest insult to Delson's existence—a being so unwilling to strive, to push forward, to achieve. Dmitri's laziness was an affront to everything Delson valued. How could someone with so much potential waste it by choosing to be still? To do nothing?
"He lies there like a bloated carcass," Delson growled, his fists clenching tighter. "While the rest of us fight and struggle, he sleeps. What a coward."
Finally, his gaze turned toward the Seventh Ring, where Eshe, the embodiment of Wrath, brooded. Wrath was a powerful force, yes, but it was also reckless. Eshe was driven by her anger, but Delson knew that her lack of control would be her downfall. She burned too hot, too bright. She wanted to destroy everything, to burn the world to ashes, but Delson knew that such destruction would lead to nothing but ruin. Wrath lacked the wisdom and restraint that true power demanded.
"She burns, but she's all flame and no foundation," Delson said, his voice dripping with disdain. "There's no strength in mindless fury. She will tear everything down before realizing that she's left nothing worth ruling."
Delson took a deep breath, his chest swelling with pride as he stood above them all. The Sinister 7 may have once been equals in power, but that was no longer the case. He was different. He was superior. He had always been the strongest, the most capable, the most worthy of ruling. The others were mere pawns in a game they didn't understand, clinging to their petty sins while Delson moved with purpose and vision.
"They will fall," Delson said quietly, his eyes gleaming with arrogant certainty. "They will all fall before me, just like Tel-Nu will. None of them can touch me."
He looked down at his hands once more, the power of Gaia thrumming beneath his skin. The others might think they were equal to him, that they could stand alongside him in their sin, but they were wrong. Delson Sr. would not share his empire. When the time came, he would crush them beneath his heel, just as he would crush Tel-Nu.
"Their sins will be their undoing," Delson said, a wicked smile spreading across his face.