The pool of blood expanded beneath Noah's feet.
The knight's entrails covered the floor, and the stench of bile and excrement filled the room.
Taking a moment to observe the result of his actions, Noah paused. Reddish stains covered his white shoes, and a few splatters had reached as high as his chest.
Lazily, Noah opened his inventory, pulling out a fresh set of clothes.
"Much better."
He thought, donning the clean attire.
"Okay, we can go now," Noah said, turning to John.
"Can I ask you something? Why didn't you want my help?"
"I know your last fight drained you, both physically and mentally. It's only fair. We've got each other's backs, right?"
"Yeah, alright."
Side by side, the two walked quickly toward the door on the other side of the room.
The familiar darkness greeted them, like an old friend unseen for eons.
They crossed the threshold, but beyond the doorway, no floor awaited to support them.
"Shiiit!" John shouted, falling into the abyss.
_________
"Couldn't they put up some signs? Like, 'Caution, wet floor' or... I don't know... 'Watch your step, there's an endless pit ahead, mind your knees'?"
John complained, lifting himself from the ground.
"This is the second time this has happened..."
"Exactly. You should've expected it," Noah replied, yawning.
For the first time since arriving, the two took in their surroundings.
A dark space, where no light seemed to penetrate.
No floor, no walls, no ceiling.
Nothing.
The void itself embraced them, like a cradle.
In an indiscernible spot, a small white throne stood out against the pitch-black.
"Welcome."
A female voice hissed.
Beside the throne, the space seemed to warp, like a piece of velvet being pulled upwards.
Slowly, the figure of a woman began to take shape.
Her curves, accentuated by steel armor, exuded an undeniable allure, though her features remained concealed. A red leather bodysuit covered the knight's entire form, and a helmet with two large horns obscured her face. Two massive swords were strapped to her back, forming an imposing X.
"I am Adephagia, but you may call me Gluttony."
___________
ADEPHAGIA, The Primordial Sin
___________
_____________________
"You know we're down to just one door, right?" Isabelle said, staring at Kevin.
The young man noticed the slight tremor in her voice.
"Yeah..." he responded, keeping his emotions in check.
What did that bastard do to you?
Kevin wondered. His eyes briefly lingered on Isabelle's back. Though her shirt covered most of her skin, Kevin thought he saw a long, whitish scar on her left shoulder, disappearing beneath the fabric.
"Let's go get that bastard."
Though Isabelle's stoic face betrayed no emotion, the light in her eyes revealed her true feelings.
Seeing the concealed fury in his friend's eyes, Kevin instinctively stepped back without even realizing it.
"Alright."
And they flung open the door.
___________
"I didn't expect you to be like this, you know…"
"Yes, I know… Everyone assumes I'm some gluttonous old man, stuffing my face like a pig… For heaven's sake, even I have a reputation to maintain!"
Adephagia sighed, crossing her arms beneath her chest.
"I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm in a bit of a hurry," Noah interjected, his disinterest plain.
"I don't care if you're thin, fat, man, or woman. You'll end up like all the others before you."
"Oh? And how's that?"
"As butchered meat."
And the scythe rose into the air.
___________
The door swung open, revealing a dimly lit spiral staircase.
"If he took Grace, then he must've brought her down there," Isabelle said with certainty.
"And how do you know that?"
"Because that's where he took me…"
The girl's words carried a faint undertone of fear and anger.
"What did that bastard do to you?"
"Nothing that I won't do to him in a few moments."
And they descended.
"Finally."
It had taken Jeffrey years to understand why that evil resided within him.
He had often wondered if there was a way to take that part of himself and use it for good. And now, the moment had come.
God had shown him the truth, using much of His providence, enough to force him into a long hibernation.
If only they knew their fate…
The priest thought, running his fingers through Grace's hair.
"Get your hands off her!"
A sudden voice boomed.
Father Jeffrey looked up. In front of him, Kevin and Isabelle stood, their bodies radiating with so much rage that it was almost tangible.
"What are you doing here? You should be in your rooms. Especially you, Isabelle. Wasn't this morning's lesson enough for you?"
A twisted smile curled the man's lips. Though many might have found him attractive, now his face revealed only its most repulsive side.
"Shut up! You sick bastard!"
A faint blue aura began to flare up around Isabelle's body.
Her long blonde hair waved in the air, moved by the pressure generated by her power.
___________
With a leap, John and Noah closed the gap between them and the knight.
In perfect sync, the two moved to unleash a series of devastating strikes.
A fireball appeared in John's hand, crashing into Adephagia's right side.
Simultaneously, Noah's foot rose, aimed at the knight's neck.
Or at least, that's what should have happened.
The knight's hand moved so quickly it seemed to vanish, intercepting John's punch.
A strange sensation coursed through the young man's body, as if an icy chill had settled into his bones.
"Shit… Be careful, John! Break free now!"
Still gripping John's arm, Adephagia stepped back, allowing Noah's kick to pass just inches from her face.
Aware of the situation, Noah quickly adjusted, spinning his trusty scythe toward the knight's arm, forcing her to release John.
"Not bad…"
Her muffled voice echoed from behind her helmet.
"W-What happened? My energy…"
"Yeah. Looks like her power is to absorb others' mana. So whatever you do, don't let her touch you."
"Let's see if you're up to the task! Ahaha!"
In an instant, Adephagia dashed forward, closing the distance between her and the duo.
She reached behind her back, drawing the twin swords and striking as soon as the blades were free from their scabbards.
Bending backward, John narrowly avoided the sword as it whizzed past his throat, then darted forward, moving into the knight's guard.
"Hey, dear, you know it's rude to invade a lady's personal space, right?"
She teased, winking.
Without replying, John raised his hand under her chin. His fingers formed the shape of a gun, and a small orb of energy condensed at the tip of his index finger.
"Magic Missile."
Pshoom
The beam cut through the air.
Not even bothering to look at the attack, Adephagia sidestepped, evading the shot.
Fluidly, she lifted her right knee, driving it into John's side and sending him flying a few meters away.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, alerting the knight to the imminent danger.
Instinctively, Adephagia ducked, allowing a scythe to swing just above her head.
Shoom
"And to think we could've ended this right here," a monotone, emotionless voice stated.
Jumping back, the knight distanced herself before standing upright again.
"Mhm… You're fast… Let's see if you're fast enough. Blink!"
Leaving behind a trail of thick, dark smoke, the boy disappeared, reappearing behind the knight.
The muscles in Noah's arms tensed, veins bulging beneath his skin. The scythe rose once more, descending toward the woman.
Quickly, Adephagia raised her twin blades above her head, not to block the attack, but to control it.
The scythe's blade clashed against the swords, though no sound came from the meeting of the metals.
Holding the scythe in place, the knight sidestepped, allowing the weapon to follow its trajectory through the air.
The knight's sword slashed through the space, embedding itself in Noah's arm.
A sensation of cold paralyzed the boy for an instant.
"Yeah, it works with my swords too."