Soon, the entire unit arrived at the main gate, all 100 soldiers, including Lilia, Sarian, and Samael. The elite of Brightnight were all gathered in one location, all wearing excited and hardened expressions.
The trials of war showed on their faces, but the excitement of slaying Devils and the rewards that would accompany Sloth and Lust's death still lingered in their eyes.
Excalibur was strapped firmly to his hip with his lance clenched in his right hand. The sunlight shining off its surface, rebounding across the castle, appears as a divine light, leading the hopeless out of the darkness.
Ratella had grown quite accustomed to the lance, which was on par with his sword, his skill only growing with more training and combat experience.
He wore no armor, choosing instead to adorn himself in a light garb that matched his wings, allowing for perfect mobility on the battlefield. His apparel was a far cry from the rest of the soldiers, all wearing heavy plate armor, which provided the pinnacle of protection but at the cost of mobility.
This was the main thing Ratella wanted to avoid: remaining undetected on the battlefield, with the noise of metal clanking on his armor disrupting his most powerful way of fighting.
He worried that the soldiers' armor could interfere with his combat abilities. However, he knew that on this expedition, he might not have the chance to truly be tested in battle against the Sins.
"That's quite the weapon you have there. I had noticed the sword, but I didn't realise this lance was yours," said Sarian, approaching Ratella with his companions in tow behind him.
Lilia bowed her head to him, but he got no such treatment from Samael as expected.
"My master taught me to use two weapons in case you are stripped of one. I chose the lance to match my master's own weapon. It is one of my prized treasures."
"Who was your master if you mind me asking?" asked Lilia, peering at the sword affixed to his hip, its lilac and silver colouring mirroring his wings.
"The Radiance's Blade, Second Seraphim."
The trio's faces twisted with surprise, their minds growing curious about the warrior standing before them.
"I suppose you are a Seraphim after all, but why can we see your angel form if you are truly one of them?"
"I choose not to hide myself and open my form to the eyes of whoever wishes to look upon me."
This was obviously a lie; he didn't know how to shield his form from prying eyes, and he doubted he would be able to if what Liliana said about his true race was correct.
"I wish to see your might on the field of battle, Ratella. If you would lead the unit with me, I would sincerely appreciate it," exclaimed Sarian, his face laced with excitement and anticipation at the battle to come.
"Of course, I'll join you at the head of the unit."
His hand was out seeking a gesture of partnership from him, and he quickly joined hands with Sarian despite the negative feelings circling around his mind about the partnership.
"I don't believe your little excuse for why we cannot see you. You must be lying, you're no better than us. If you were on par with a Seraphim, there is no way we'd be able to see you. I challenge you to a duel," declared Samael, itching for a conflict with Ratella, undermining him in any way possible.
Ratella was beginning to grow annoyed with the angel's pretentious, irritating attitude and chose to put him in his place.
He redirected the course of divinity in his blood, channeling it into the Edict of Time nestled in his eye. Muttering the command word, time slowed around him until it froze completely.
Everyone in the surrounding area was reduced to silence and frozen in the absence of time. Ratella was the only person free to move in his domain.
Even Liliana could not resist the effects of his Edict on the surrounding area, her constant fidgeting as a bird being stopped completely. He had noticed her habit of pecking her feather when unaccompanied the following day.
Ratella approached Samael and delivered a precise kick to his chest. Even though he struck with force, Samael remained frozen and unmoving while time was stopped.
With the last seconds of his time dominion, he brought his lance up to the man's temple, slashing a straight line into his skin, marking him for life.
The future scar was a reminder of how foolish his attitude had been.
Time soon returned to its natural course, and with its return, his attacks impacted with Samael's body, sending him into a free fall through the air before crashing into a nearby tree, falling on top of him in the process.
Only adding to his humiliation after trying to assert his dominance. Blood trickled down his face, obscuring his vision as it poured into his eyes.
Sarian and Lilia, completely baffled by the man's injuries, ran to his aid, pushed the tree off him, and picked him up.
Ratella clutched his gut, doubled over and shaking, laughing hysterically at the sight of his foe reeling from the blows. The man's declarations of being equal to him struck Ratella as utterly absurd.
"You think you are equal to me? How laughable, you can't even react to my attack, what makes you think you'll last a second in a duel?"
"Bastard! You used some sort of trick!" shouted Samael, despite being pummeled into a tree, he still held himself tall, even if it was aided.
Not backing down from his words, instead blaming his defeat on a trick. Ratella found his courage commendable, and his opinion of the man improved slightly. The same couldn't be said for Samael's opinion on Ratella, however.
The attention of all the soldiers was now fixed upon Ratella; some wore expressions of admiration, while others held a deep-founded terror as they looked at the young man.
"You wanted a duel, yes? You got one, so what's there to complain about?"
"Samael, calm down, let Lilia treat your wound. We will speak nothing of the situation that just occurred here today. Ratella, please lead the soldiers out of the castle. I'll handle Samael. We'll join up with you soon."
Sarian's figure disappeared into the castle's interior, holding Samael and searching for a medic.
Ratella did as the virtue requested, bringing his lance upwards, signaling the start of their expedition to slay the Sins lurking in the darkness.
The one hundred soldiers filed out behind Ratella, gathering a few miles outside of Brightnight, awaiting Samael's return to them.