"Something is coming this way, it's power is on level with a Sin." declared Ratella, flying up into the air surveying the surrounding area.
He flew high enough to be out of range for the soldiers below allowing him to talk freely with Liliana.
"Have you sent someone this way?"
"I told Sloth to intercept the unit and I believe Lust is wandering around this area looking for fresh meat so whether we find you or not is up to her. I much prefer Sloth over Lust hence why I have been ignoring her many attempts of contact."
"Is Lust really that bad?"
"Yes, she is a cruel vindictive woman. Her cruelty is on par with Pestilence if she encounters you can expect the soldiers to turn against you."
"How come you even sent a Sin to intercept us in the first place? Wouldn't encountering one be more convenient?"
"I suppose it would be but I want you to capture Sloth and bring him into the castle so destroying it will be easier. I've already told him of my plans so he'll put up a fight for a while before surrendering. Do not let that virtue kill him, I'll reveal myself if he comes close to death."
"I won't let him die so there is no need to worry. I won't let Sarian out of my sight so he won't have the chance to kill Sloth."
"Thank you, if we lose Sloth our warpower will be weakened and that I cannot allow."
Ratella lowered his altitude overlooking the surrounding area searching for an encroaching figure. Eventually his eyes catch the sight of a small figure dragging his feet and walking sluggishly towards the unit.
He softly landed next to Sarian on the ground, the figure of Sloth was growing more clear by the minute. His approach was slow and longwinded, only adding to the nerves of the soldiers.
"Sarian, Sloth draws nearer." declared Ratella, grasping the attention of everyone.
Sarian's eyes twisted with anger, an unbridled fury replacing all sense in his brain, the feeling causing the blood vessels in his eyes to explode painting them bloodshot.
"I'll slaughter that bastard for what he did to my father!"
The surface of Sarian's bow shielded itself in multiple barriers of light, its power growing exponentially matching the fury corrupting his mind.
Five arrows appeared out of thin air knocking themselves in his bow, its size increasing to match the amount of arrows.
Letting go off the bowstring the arrows flew at an alarming speed towards Sloth after his first volley fired he replaced the arrows let another flew in quick succession.
Sloth faced a large volley of arrows, their intent to rip the light from his body not leaving him a second to react.
"This won't be that easy, keep firing Sarian." exclaimed Samael, the anxiety at the foe lying in their wake only mounting upon his mind.
Liliana had been warning Sloth of the incoming attacks allowing him to react before they met their mark. He set up a field of low gravity around the area in proximity to him disrupting the arrows trajectory causing them to completely miss their target.
Despite this Sarian still sent volleys of arrows in his direction at the still approaching Sin. His field matches his current position.
Sairan's anger had clouded his judgement skills, he couldn't recognise that his current approach wasn't working. The only approach his mind recognized was sheer force and overwhelming power to be the best way to victory.
Ratella had no plans on engaging Sloth only stepping in when the situation got dire if he started fighting he might end up killing the Sin clouded by his own bloodlust.
"Sarian! This isn't working, try something else or give orders. Return to us!" shouted Samael shaking the man but he didn't react, his hearing locked onto Sloth's footprints and the humming of shifting gravity.
"Is that any way to greet a visitor?" asked Sloth, now close enough to be heard by the soldiers.
Sarian was still locked into firing volleys of arrows completely devoid of any reason now leaving the unit in disarray.
The situation was becoming unstable and there was no way for the soldiers to approach Sloth without getting riddled with arrows, the constant barrage being problematic and only causing problems as it was useless against Sloth.
"All soldiers! Assume a defensive formation plant your feet and shields into the ground." ordered Samael, his mind was well suited to tactics able to grasp and adapt to a situation.
Sloth's gravity manipulation soon spread to the whole unit apart from Ratella who he avoided. The mounting pressure reduced most of the unit to their knees only avoiding being fallen by their earlier orders.
"I'll kill you, filthy murderer. My father's death is on your hands."
Sarian ditched his current strategy, dropping his bow on the ground and summoning swords of pure light lunging forward towards Sloth.
"I don't even know who you are. Can you remind me who your father was? I've killed a lot of fathers and my mind isn't what it once was."
Sloth looked totally unamused by Sarian's anger, his presence here only being out of obligation for his position and the fear of attracting the ire of Liliana.
Sarian didn't make the Sin falter for a second, he had seen much scarier people in his lifetime. Liliana being the biggest cause of dread in his lengthy life.
Ratella merely observed the conflict between the two paying no mind to the struggles behind him apart from placing one of his wings above Lilia and Samael to shield them from Sloth's gravity.
His action released them from the mounting pressure crushing their bones. The other soldiers weren't so lucky and would have to withstand it until Sloth's attention was fully on Sarian.
"Thank you, Ratella." exclaimed Lilia drawing closer to him. "What do we do?"
"There is nothing we can do right now. We'll have to just trust in Sarian to slay Sloth."
Samael nodded at Ratella's words drawing their gaze back towards the opposing pillars.
"You killed my father, Serian Valhorn, the virtue of Temperance!"