The Quartet of Angels were almost done with eradicating the nests, soon they would meet the main angel army.
However, Sophia had decided to separate and do something that she believed needed to be done.
Under her, a convoy of cages was in the process of transportation, in them slaves sold on blackwater auction, their eyes were devoid of hope and frankly any semblance of life.
They did not deserve this fate.
While Ariel was indeed effective in her methods, she was too cruel for Sophia's tastes.
She had personally made sure to track down the slave convoys.
Her kind nature wouldn't allow these fallen angels and possibly demons to suffer such a fate.
Even Father had forgiven Fallen; who were they not to extend the same courtesy?
She wanted to follow Father's example.
Father was a beacon of what they needed to do.
'Father had forgiven his former enemies. Perhaps forgiving these poor souls is a right call.' She clasped her hands together.
She hated suffering; eradicating demons was necessary but making them suffer was not something she condoned. after all, that was why hell existed.
Ariel did not share such a mindset, she reveled in demon agony. Her philosophy was that their existence must be suffering.
But how would they truly suffer a proper punishment in hell if they did not know what peace was?
From Ariel's words, the fallen she was tracking were virtuous and could possibly be forgiven by Father.
When she asked Ariel if it was fine to offer them salvation, she shrugged and said 'Whatever, I don't care.'
"Sister... I love you, but you need to be gentler..." She muttered to herself.
With a small sigh, she landed gracefully in front of the upcoming carriages, forcing them to abruptly stop.
"Who the hell are you, woman? Move!" Gray lizardman screeched.
"I... am Sophia, A Virtue and one who will deliver peace to those unfortunate souls you are transporting." She spoke gently, with no malice.
"You want to join these wenches?! Look at those ugly white wings, You won't even be worth a single gold!" With a screech, Lizardman jumped in front of the woman.
"You... should avoid this fight... You do not need to die this day... Do not throw away your life..." Sophia did not even respond to the insult.
"Huh?! Men capture this wench!" With the order, the entire Blackwater escort jumped after her.
"A shame... [Divine Word: Death]" With a gentle tone, demons that attacked her fell, their life extinguished with but a word.
"What did you just do, wench?!"
"I... Extinguished them... They were not worthy of salvation."
"Bro, I do not think we can fight this, we need to run! She didn't even break a sweat!" Green Lizardman frantically warned.
Sophia's wings wrapped around her, giving her a majestic presence as a small halo appeared behind her head.
Sophia stretched her hands forward.
"I beseech you, do not fight salvation. Others... are not as kind." She referred to her siblings and in some way, to Cedric as she wished them not to fight.
"What salvation you damned bitch! Die!" Gray Lizardman attacked, his blade striking at Sophia's wings.
Clang~
Crack~
Cracks appeared on the blade as it broke into fine shards.
"Why do you resist salvation? You must embrace your fate." While Lizardman was in shock she wrapped her arms and wings around him, her warm and gentle embrace giving him true peace.
"Goodbye, little one [Divine Word: Death]," Sophia whispered her words into Lizardman's ears.
The scene made the green lizardman lose all colors as he made a desperate dash, and yet just before he could run, he ran straight into Sophia's embrace."Why do you run? Why resist? Embrace your fate."
"Please let me go!" He struggled and yet he couldn't sneak out of her gentle embrace.
"To fight... is sinful... please... accept my love," Sophia whispered into his ears as his life was extinguished.
She let his corpse collapse as she turned her gaze onto the cages.
It saddened her that Ariel showed such cruelty; perhaps if she had ended their lives she could accept it.
But to make their entire existence suffering... No.
Sophia approached the cages; near lifeless harpies did not even look up.
They had abandoned hope.
They wore their whip wounds and branding quietly, despite being relatively fresh.
'Such a shame.' Sophia approached the first cage, her fingers wrapped around the bars.
Snap~
A sound startled the bound girls, they looked up at the Angel with a lifeless expression.
"I have come to... give you salvation... will you accept or will you decline my love?" She said in a tone that resembled a melody.
No answer came; the girls looked up and slumped back down, their hope extinguished by Blackwater Cartel.
'Ariel... you are so cruel, my dear sister.' Sophia looked at the girls with a saddened expression before closing her eyes.
She placed her hands on her chest as she began to sing, words unknown to all and yet carrying holy power.
[Holy Hymn] filled the air, Sophia's voice reached the very soul of the broken girls, and the light in their eyes returned as they looked up at the singing angel.
"Who... are you..." The fallen looked down at her stomach, her branding was gone. The wounds inflicted by the slavers were healed; even the sawn horns grew back.
Harpy's young body repaired itself to its fullest extent.
Her long black hair regained its luster, and her brown eyes gained a familiar spark of life.
The same fallen that Ariel tricked had been spared by Sophia, she had been offered salvation to these impure souls.
A similar effect happened to others who heard her song.
The song finished as Sophia opened her eyes.
"I am... Sophia, the Virtue, I am here to bring Father's love and salvation." She stated as she clasped her hands together.
Her song reached all 3 cages; everyone who had been sold and tortured had been returned to their healthy state in mere moments.
While they were skeptical of the unique white-winged Harpy, they did not dare question.
[Dearest Father, I have a request.] Sophia contacted Cedric.
Their life will depend on his permission.
[Speak, Sophia.] Cedric's voice reached her, filling her with joy.
[I wish to offer... salvation and forgiveness to a group of fallen and demons...] She stated her wish with a hint of fear.
[Why?] Cedric sounded curious.
[I believe... they, much like fallen father had cleansed would serve your Mission. I am ready... to stake my own life on this.] She defended herself by bringing up an act of kindness he had done once before.
[Sophia, do you truly believe in what you are saying? They are traitors to God's Will.] Cedric did not sound angry as she feared, but instead, he spoke with curiosity.
[Yes.]
[In that case, I will allow it. You are a 2nd Sphere Angel, I trust your judgment.] With the words, the connection was cut.
Sophia was about to sing out of joy, but she had to contain herself. Father had put his trust in her, how could she not be happy?
She led the slaves out of their cages, their naked forms shivering from the chilly winds, the chains heavy around their necks, wings, and hands.
She couldn't allow them to suffer the cold winds.
[Holy Arsenal], Sophia focused on the skill.
Usually, it would create a weapon of choice no matter its shape or function, but now she tested the limits of the skill as she tried to picture clothing as a weapon.