Bones poured from the ground, rupturing the earth and gathering around Gluttony's body, responding to his commands. The bones morphed into a single, pointed lance, launching toward him, all the fury infused into its form, making the impact more monstrous.
Ratella dodged to the other side of the arena out of harm's way as the bone lance impacted against the earth, completely decimating the surrounding earth, throwing the formation of soldiers into disarray.
"Ha! Where are your big words now? You can't speak any more poison with a mouth full of dirt! That's what happens to loudmouths only good at evading attacks!" declared Gluttony, a hearty laugh escaping his mouth at his hated enemy's supposed death.
Ratella approached the man's exposed back, as the soldiers' worried gazes locked onto him. His unharmed state only induced terror and panic into their gaze.
"Sir behind you!" shouted a soldier, panicked to the core, their beloved commander's life was in imminent danger, scaring them all, but their terror rooted them to the ground.
Unable to move a muscle at Ratella's presence, there was no murderous intent in his actions, only a cold, detached, and quiet fury at their commander's attitude. They all knew his ire would fall on them at the slightest movement.
It was too late for Gluttony to stop Ratella's attack; he redirected the divinity in his body into his hand, plunging it into his side, prying free a chunk of flesh. Gluttony screamed in agony as the flesh was ripped from his body.
"What's wrong? You've done this countless times before, yes. Why shouldn't I do it to you?"
"Stop it, please. I've learned that I am weak, don't kill me, please!"
Gluttony clutched the gaping hole in his side, trying to stop the bleeding and his organs from spilling out onto the ground.
His arrogance and pompousness were removed by his attack. Only misery and dread remained at his fate.
"Did you ever stop when one of your victims was begging for their lives as you tore through their skin? What makes you think I would show mercy to a wild beast driven by its hunger?" spat Ratella, his tone cold and laced with aversion towards Gluttony.
"No! No! I'm a sin, I'm not supposed to be defeated, let alone eaten!" screamed Gluttony, falling to his knees, his lifelong mindset of not being able to dedicate defeat a single thought, causing his mind to crumble in on itself.
Ratella licked the blood dripping from the flesh in his hand, inviting horror-ridden gasps from the audience of soldiers. Gluttony's eyes widened at being consumed, causing him to shiver in terror.
"You taste disgusting."
He spat out the blood circling in his mouth in Gluttony's direction, landing next to the man's knee. Blood began to flow from the wound, forming a crimson valley on the ground below.
"What happened to the pompous and arrogant Sin from earlier? One wound is causing you to collapse in darkness; you never tasted defeat before, have you? The dish Gluttony has yet to taste has finally been served, where's your gratitude!?"
Ratella picked the man up by his neck, hoisting him upwards for all his men to see.
"You don't deserve to taste the steel of my weapons. You aren't a Devil, only a wild beast in need of culling," exclaimed Ratella, tightening his grip on the man's neck before slamming him into the floor using all the divinity in his body to reinforce the blow.
Gluttony's body impacted against the earth, splattering and turning into a crimson mist, the only sign of his existence a shard of his skull still containing a sliver of brain. The crimson mist is being dragged off into the atmosphere, returning to the natural course of the world.
"Be gone or be reduced to a scarlet paste like him!" boomed Ratella, causing the soldiers to run in fear of his power.
The visage of Gluttony's mangled body at his feet induced misery to replace their once overwhelming love for their proud and stalwart commander.
The desolation of Gluttony was witnessed by everyone present on the battlefield that day, a memory that only invited fear to flood their minds, temporarily leaving them without sense or logic.
The tale of the monstrous six-winged angel spread across all the lands, stirring anxiety and fear into the weak-willed.
"You weren't kidding about toying with your prey. I don't even think I was this brutal when the condition infected my own mind."
"I suppose, but this brute deserved all of my brutality. Cannibalism shouldn't be something to be celebrated even in Faravos."
"Yes, it is the height of impurity. Hence why the Sins must be purged and rot along with them if the Devil race is to once again prosper."
"Then we have a shared goal. If all of the Sins are savage creatures only used to build warpower, then we'll slaughter them all until there aren't any replacements left."
"That one will be easily replaced. Liliana most likely already replaced him or is in the process of doing so. The link with her soldiers makes her instantly aware of their deaths."
"Liliana doesn't care about the Sins; many times she has complained about their attitude and personalities. They are tools, nothing more, exactly how a supreme commander has to see soldiers for it not to affect the war."
"You've got that right at least. Liliana is cruel and manipulative. Do not fall for her false sympathy; this is the only warning I'll give you. She cannot stop both of us, so don't worry about a counterattack from her."
"She'll probably order the Sins to stay away from us. She cannot go against Nuit's will. Nuit's order has forbidden her from ordering me anymore."
"You seem to have a negative opinion of Liliana."
"Not really, I like Liliana; she's been with me for more than eight months, so I can't form any negative emotions revolving around her. I'm only stating that she cannot stop us if we go on a killing spree."
"I'll be nice and give you one more warning about Liliana. Don't lower your guard around her from now on. She couldn't be trusted ever," stated Olivia. Her gaze was serious and sharp; there was no indication of a lie in her words.
"I'll consider your advice."
Ratella didn't think Liliana was manipulative or deceitful. The many months he spent with her were direct evidence for that point; he couldn't even form a picture in his mind of Liliana being anything but sweet and charming. Memaru bounced up and down on Olivia's shoulder, beckoning for their journey to continue, growing bored by the lack of food and movement. The scent of blood and misery in the air unsettles the cub, shivers running down its body.
"It seems our little friend is getting impatient. Let's head for Ironstar to meet with the Dominion of the Sun."
"Can we pick up some bread on the way?"
"Of course."