Moxie sprinted through the dense forest, Snow clinging to his back as the Sin of *Sloth*, Anthony, floated lazily behind on what seemed like a flying pillow. Snow kept glancing back, her heart racing, checking if they were still being pursued. Suddenly, Anthony appeared beside Moxie, yawning as he asked, in his usual sleepy tone, "Why don't you just give up? Maybe Wrath won’t hurt you too badly."
“Go to hell,” Moxie spat, swinging a punch at Anthony. But before the blow could connect, Anthony effortlessly flopped down onto the grass, getting comfortable as if preparing for a nap. Frustrated, Moxie raised his foot to stomp on him, but the ground trembled violently. He looked down to see Wrath tearing up the earth beneath them with ease, his sheer power lifting the ground like it was nothing.
Moxie leaped from rock to rock, barely escaping Wrath’s destruction, until he landed safely on a rocky outcrop. He turned to Snow, gently pulling her off his back. “Hide behind the rocks. Close your eyes,” he instructed, his voice stern.
Snow, hesitant, started to protest. “I only take commands from Auforus.”
Moxie’s eyes softened for a brief moment. "You don’t want to see this," he warned her. Reluctantly, Snow complied, finding shelter behind the rocks, though the sounds of the impending fight were sure to reach her ears.
Within seconds, Wrath and Sloth appeared in a blur of motion behind Moxie. Moxie straightened up, facing them. "I know I don’t stand a chance. You two outclass me in every way," Moxie admitted, clenching his fists, his muscles tense. "But I’m not going down without a fight."
Wrath laughed, amused by Moxie’s admission, and mockingly clapped his hands. "At least you know your place." Sloth, still hovering on his pillow, gave a lazy clap before yawning again.
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Wrath turned serious, waving Sloth off. "This is my fight." Sloth shrugged, floating higher to get a bird’s-eye view, settling in to watch.
Wrath and Moxie squared off, both assuming a similar fighting stance. For a brief moment, they stood perfectly still, sizing each other up. Then, in a flash, Moxie made the first move. He lunged forward, aiming for a strike, but Wrath anticipated it easily. With a crushing blow to Moxie’s stomach, Wrath countered. The force was like nothing Moxie had ever felt—his organs twisted painfully, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
Wrath’s smile twisted into a scowl as he grabbed Moxie by the throat and began to beat him mercilessly. Each hit seemed to break something, leaving Moxie in agony. But through the pain, Moxie grinned, knowing his plan had worked—Snow wouldn’t see this carnage.
From her hiding spot, Snow heard the gruesome sounds of battle. Blood splattering, bones cracking, and what could only be described as the *ripping of flesh* reached her ears, even through her hands. She whimpered as she heard a terrifying sound: organs being torn from a body. Her leg throbbed with pain, likely broken from the debris of Wrath's rampage.
Back at the battlefield, Wrath delivered a brutal punch to Moxie’s skull, causing a portion of the mountain to collapse from the impact. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the area, catching Snow in the crossfire. She screamed as her leg broke, unable to escape the falling debris.
Wrath loomed over Moxie’s mangled body, mockingly laughing. "You should’ve known better, Moxie. You’re nothing compared to me."
Suddenly, Wrath began to tear at the very fabric of reality, ripping open the air itself. He called out to Sloth, "Hurry up, we’re done here."
Sloth floated down lazily, landing beside Wrath. He cast a glance at Moxie’s destroyed form before casually stepping through the tear in reality. The rift closed behind him, leaving Moxie lying in a pool of his own blood.
Despite the agonizing pain wracking his body, Moxie forced himself to stand. His limbs trembled, his vision blurry from blood loss, but he wasn’t done. He staggered toward Snow, finding her unconscious from her injuries. Gritting his teeth, he lifted her gently, placing her on his back once more, his body soaked in blood—both his and hers.
They had lost this battle, but Moxie wasn’t ready to give up just yet.