Eventually the trio joined back with them, Samael now wore a bandage around the base of his head drawing everyone's attention to the consequences of challenging Ratella.
"Today, we seek the deaths of the Sin of Sloth and Lust. We'll bring back peace to these lands in the absence of the Sins this land can once again prosper!" announced Sarian assuming the role of commander.
His short speech garnered the cheers of the soldiers, their morale raised and their hunger for Devil blood heightened.
Their search started by slowly cutting down any stray Devils they found who had lost control of themselves being reduced to mindless creatures seeking only bloodshed. The bloodlust poisoning Devils' minds being present in full effect in these sorry souls.
They mainly stuck to the ground not using their wings to avoid attention falling upon them if a full legion of Devils were to fall upon them their forces would be reduced to ashes.
Liliana rested upon his shoulder surveying the surrounding battlefield.
The atmosphere of the battlefield was stricken with the smell of rotting flesh and charred remains. Ratella was only one who seemed off put by this smell, the soldiers growing accustomed to it after years of fighting on these very grounds.
Ratella was positioned with Sarian in the front of the unit, he would be the first to see any encroaching threats.
"If I find Sloth I'll display his head over my table. That bastard will die if it's the last thing I do." declared Sarian speaking more to himself than anyone else present.
Sarian was still affected by his father's death and pressures Temperance brought into his life. His pride as an angel hinged upon Sloth's death.
"I'll take Lust then. Sloth is all yours." stated Ratella acting friendly in front of the grieving man.
Sarian said nothing to Ratella, only steeling his mind for the fight to come.
The unit eventually reached a large divide in the ground separating the land in two, the divide stretched over a vast distance leaving them with the only option to fly over it.
Potentially drawing the eye of surrounding Devils but the other option was to spend days circling around the great slash in the landscape.
Until they could cross the divide they would have to deal with the two Devils blocking their path. Their behaviour wasn't erratic or uncontrollable making them bigger threats than the creatures infecting the land.
Standing in front of the crack in the earth, the two stood side by side both wielding large mace weapons.
The unit assumed a defensive position prepared for any attack that was looming in the darkness shrouding the land.
Ratella and Sarian took similar positions. Sarian drew his bow, summoning an arrow made of light and knocking in the bowstring.
Ratella merely dug his lance in the earth below assuming an impartial stance in face of the Devils. He doubted they were anything special as Liliana had yet to alert for anything he couldn't handle.
A system they had put into place a couple hours prior when waiting for the trio to return.
"Do you see that brother, the twink thinks he'll be able to defeat us in battle!"
"How funny, my brother. We are the strongest of the Devils in this area, this pipsqueak can't possibly think he'll be able to defeat us."
"Excuse me Devils but could you point in the direction where the Sins are currently located?" asked Ratella, cupping his hands behind his back emboldening his wings.
"Brother, this weird angel with six wings thinks he can order us around."
"Ha, I know how laughable. Even if we did know where the Sins were, we wouldn't tell this weirdo."
"We are the Bloody Barons of War, we have yet to be defeated by angel or devil kind. We stand supreme."
"Yes, brother. We are the strongest aspects of shadow, commander of a Devil legion; without us this war would be hopeless for Faravos!"
The two brothers laughed with each other, their arrogance shining bright through each breath out of their mouths.
The brothers bore two pitch wings each with their edges sharpened but not by divinity, they had meticulously sharpened them by hand. Leaving a scarred mess of once unblemished wings.
"I'd appreciate your assistance in the matter of finding the Sins if you cannot aid us I'll be forced to slash you to ribbons but I really don't want to do that." exclaimed Ratella, a wicked grin forming on his face.
The devilish blood coursing through his veins leading to his sinister attitude at the promise of bloodshed.
Sarian looked unnerved by both of the Bloody Barons and Ratella retreating slightly standing in proximity to the troops.
"Brother! This little boy thinks he'll be able to defeat us. I bet he won't be able to scratch our skin with that impractical weapon of his."
"You are absolutely correct, my brother! A lance of all things defeating us that weapon should have been left in the realm of horses not in a realm of war. Ha!"
"Ha, ha! Brother, you are quite the joker. Everyone knows a mace is the superior weapon to all others."
"Excuse me but could you stop talking about meaningless things? You should really be saying your goodbyes as one of you is going to be impaled by this very lance."
Ratella brought his trusty weapon up for all to see, displaying its magnificence in the face of the two brothers. Its surface shines even in the darkness looming overhead.
"Brother, I want that weapon. It may be inferior to a mace but I can't deny its beauty. I'll twist into the darkness making it a herald to our people."
Ratella tilted his head upwards, his eyes twinkling with unbridled excitement at the bloodshed to come. His devilish bloodlust overcame his sense of reason.
Pure ecstasy raced into his mind at playing with his food, the thrill of speaking to the dead was exhilarating.
Liliana perched upon his shoulder, her eyes full of worry at whether he would be able to control his bloodlust and not slaughter everyone in the area.
"Squack!"
"It's okay, Liliana. I won't lose control of myself, I'm just having some fun which I have been deprived off for some years."
Ratella had only known training and reading, not getting any chance to read many books of fantasy or otherwise.
The most fun he had was getting pummeled by Luna in a duel so he was practically starving for something to exhilarate his nerves which had long since grown wary.
Liliana tilted her head in understanding at his promise of self control, putting her trust in him. She couldn't care less for the Bloody Barons as she had never even heard of them and she certainly didn't command them to intercept them.
"Ha! He's talking to a bird about self control, how laughable!"
"How about we kill all these pesky angels and then we'll slit the bird's throat and roast it over a fire!"
The foolish brothers didn't know they had just threatened to eat a Horsemen. As much as he wanted to, Ratella couldn't enlighten the brother on the errors of their ways.
"I'm surprised you want to eat it, brother. It's rather ugly and its colour reminds me of HER so I could never eat that thing."
"Oh, brother. Don't let your fear overcome your desire to eat your enemies."
The first brother patted the second on his back lifting him out of his fears regarding Liliana past actions involving them.
He didn't doubt that Liliana had once scared the duo into this level of terror when considering her more devilish side. The foolish personality of the brother definitely wouldn't board well with Liliana.
Ratella started to laugh uncontrollably at the foolish man's suggestions.
His devilish nature was shining in full force to all people present. The angel legion standing behind all wore looks of anxiety at what's to come.
"You weaklings can't beat the bird on my shoulder let alone roast it for dinner."
"This little boy doubts our power, brother. Let's show him what it means to be declared as the Bloody Barons of War."
"Mere aspects of shadow shouldn't have such a title. I'll be happy to demote you personally."
Ratella began to slowly walk towards the men grasping his lance in his hands preparing to attack at a moment's notice.
"It seems the boy truly wants to challenge us to a battle." exclaimed the first brother, bringing his mace into an offensive position ready to bring it down on Ratella's head.
His incoming attack was stopped by Ratella placing his hand forward.
"If you were to choose which one of you deserves to live the most."
"We are equal, that's what it means to be brothers. We'll ingrain that message into your bloody corpse before we barbecue those pretty wings of yours. "
"What's with the need to eat everything you see?"
"Food brings us the most pleasure in this world; without it we'd be depressed. Once we see something that rears our hunger into action we won't stop until it's in our belly." exclaimed the second brother rubbing his belly declaring his intent to eat Ratella's wings.
"I can't argue with that but I believe watching the last breaths of Devils to be much more pleasurable." declared Ratella, he wasn't concerned who he killed but to stick with the dutiful soldier he chose to speak only of Devils.
Ratella licked the base of his lance inducing the bloody brothers to step back warily, their dire situation finally sinking into their minds.
"Brother, we must crush this pest before he has any time to prepare."
The bloody barons nodded to each other swiftly closing in on Ratella swinging their maces at the base of his skull but their attacks didn't collide with a skull instead the base of each other's weapons bouncing them backwards losing their footing momentarily.
Ratella had amply evaded the blows positioning him behind one of the brothers. The other brother's eyes went wide with surprise, their surface now laced with caution and a bubbling dread revolving Ratella.
Ratella tapped the brother on the shoulder causing him to swiftly turn rapidly swinging his mace in his direction. Ratella bent his back collapsing downwards on himself using his wings as support so as to not falter.
With his lance he forcibly thrust the weapon into the Devil's gut skewing him upon it, blood flooded down the weapon in waves painting it scarlet.
"Not so confident now, are you on the end of my inferior weapon?"
"Brother! No, we are Bloody Barons, we will not die by the hands of a filthy angel."