GREED: ALL FOR WHAT?

Aeternus might have a flaming skull but it isn't enough to scare them or take him seriously. Besides, he is just one demon, he might be able to go against the full array of the god's resources in the mortal plane and win, but it should take him time. It is a win for them as long as he is stalled.

They plan to delay him by dragging out the battle. It doesn't matter if they win. They know that but it is very unpleasant for them to hear their impending defeat from the mouth of their enemy. It is even worse that he said it in front of all these mortals. What if one of them survived this battle and tells the world?

It will be like a mortal witnessed their shame and lived to tell it. No god wants to be disrespected in front of mortals. They used to kill mortals for witnessing their shame. So now they have to say something about the disrespect or make sure that no mortal will survive this battle.

Stelios shouted in an imposing manner to Aeternus. He said, "Insolent midget, leave the realm of Zargoth and return from whence you came or we will be forced to destroy you. The mortal realm shall suffer your presence no longer. Leave this instant."

The soldiers of the army cheered as their morale increased. Stelios's words made it seem like they have a chance of winning and the poor fools believed it. Now they will give their all thinking that it won't go to waste. Technically, they are right. Their deaths won't go to complete waste. Even cannon fodder has its use.

Stelios looked at the reaction to his words and he smiled proudly. He thought to himself, 'I have won no matter the outcome of this battle.'

The experience of living for a long time helped him to navigate those treacherous waters very well. He diffused the threat of dishonor to the gods pretty easily. He considers it a win for himself no matter how the battle turns out.

If you want to look threatening, act threatening by shouting ultimatums to your enemies. It also helps if you are much taller than your enemy. Also, make sure to point out the difference in height by calling your enemy a derogatory name based on the height difference. It makes the odds look like they are in your favor.

The golden flame within Aeternus's skull flared through his eye sockets. If he thought they were taking him lightly before, now he is sure they are openly disrespecting him.

He said to them. "Fine. Have it your way."

He didn't move his lips as he spoke but everyone heard him. They heard his words and the meaning behind them from the depth of their mind. Demon language is that good. It made them know that he thought their army was insignificant before. Now they know that he is ready to wipe them out. They scrambled to prepare for his attack and he watched them impassively.

Since they have refused to appreciate his kind and selfless gesture, he will treat them like the trash that they are. He swung his claymore languidly at the army with one arm. His soul force mixed with chaos energy seamlessly and was ejected out of the claymore like a blade of fire. Then he returned to practicing cloning.

The blade of fire expanded as it shot into the air. It approached the army as it got bigger like a wave that threatened to drown them. Then the blade took on a strange shape after it finished expanding. It began to collapse on itself and its edges fused to give the attack shape and structure.

The attack finished its transformation by the time it reached the army. It became a towering skeletal entity more than 300 meters tall. This skeletal entity with white bones is wearing a black shroud that covered and obscured most of its bony figure but its skull is exposed through the illumination of the light of its eye sockets. The entity stood before the army with a black scythe primed and ready.

It said one word, "DEATH!"

The word rang out throughout the plane. Everyone on the plane heard the word and knew that someone had proclaimed death to another. The sound of the word hissed and echoed through the minds of all who heard it like the language of a serpent but only the soldiers of the army have the word DEATH marked boldly on their foreheads. Then the entity swung down its scythe on the army.

As the scythe fell, the runic structures of the giants began to deactivate. Armour and weapons scattered into motes of light. Tattoos began to dim down. The rowdy army became silent as breathing and talking stopped. Then the lights in their eyes dimmed down.

The giants were already falling down dead before the scythe reached them. Even then none of the reached the ground. The wraith entity was also reducing in size as the scythe approached the army. The scythe didn't touch anyone before the entity disappeared because it reduced to nothing before the scythe could reach anyone. The scythe may not have touched anyone but it apparently didn't need to. Only a single giant out of all of them was still standing after it disappeared.

The colossus had the telltale signs of being the vessel of a god. Its eyes were like two bright stars which indicate that it belongs to the sun god, a bonafide celestial. The Colossus was wobbling and having balance problems but it is still standing.

Aeternus looked up from his silent contemplation in surprise.

He said, "I'm impressed."

Yes, he is impressed that someone survived a single attack of his. He thought for sure that they would all be killed with a single move. It seems he was wrong.

He was about to attack again when the wobbling giant began to fall. The light in its eyes went out to reveal two chasms of darkness. It began burning with Chaos flames in the midst of falling down. Eventually, nothing fell down as it turned to ashes.