Sloth's kingdom was... not what the soldier had expected.

With his shotgun raised and at the ready, Isabeld and Daisy close behind. he advanced forward through the gently swaying grass. Above him was a dark blue sky, full of glittering, distant stars. A sparse forest of trees was planted in front of him, and while they lacked order and organization, they were well-trimmed enough that it was obvious someone had put them there. His boots crunched, and when he looked down, he found a gravel pathway underneath his boots.

It was uncomfortably nice.

Turning around, he found the circular entrance to the misnamed kingdom standing out like a sore thumb, a gaping hole of red against the dark sky of wherever this was. Walking over to it, the soldier discovered that the sky and the stars dotted across it were in fact... a painting. A staggeringly monumental painting etched and inked with painstaking detail across the entirety of the cave. Because as he looked closer, he found that it was indeed a cave. A truly enormous one, yes, but a cave regardless.

Turning back around, he simply stood there and waited for a moment. A multitude of crickets chirped quietly in the background, the pleasant sound of birds accompanying it. Somewhere in the forest, an owl proclaimed its position, flying silently over the greenery, a dark shadow against the false night sky. A person could almost hear the grass growing, the trees stretching their roots deeper and deeper into the soil beneath, the creatures going about their lives with no care for the blood-soaked soldier observing it all.

He took a deep breath, and then another one. Without his conscious decision, his muscles began to unwind and his shoulders lowered. As a deep ache began to settle in, he realized just how much tension had been loaded onto him. How long had that been there? Ever since he'd arrived in Hell? Ever since he'd arrived in the Hell he was from?

Daisy yawned, and the sound was so out of place in the still domain that it startled the soldier. Snuggling closer to Isabeld's thick fur, she mumbled, "This is kinda nice. I could probably get used to this..." She trailed off as her eyes closed, the rifle slipping out of her fingers and falling to the ground, its sound muted by the grassy terrain. The soldier dismissed it after a short moment, checking up on Daisy. Her back rose and fell slowly, marking her steady breaths as she slept. He'd never seen her sleep so... deeply. Without any nightmares. Without any worries.

He shook his head as he remembered what - or rather, who - he was here for. It was definitely a nice place, no doubt about it, but a Sin resided here. It was most likely a trap of some kind. Raising his weapon, he gestured for Isabeld to follow him, and she loped after him as they treaded through the irritatingly relaxing glade.

After a few minutes, the shaded path began to widen. The dark trees framing their journey began to be spaced more evenly, spreading out more and appearing less often. The gravel road changed to a much finer texture and then developed from there into the softest sand the soldier had ever seen. The area eventually opened out into a large clearing.

A cabin sat in front of them. It looked as though it had been grown from saplings into the shape it possessed. With a green-painted round door and circular windows, a wisp of smoke rising from the brick chimney. A small garden of plants and vegetables was growing next to it, surrounded by a short picket fence.

In other words, it was one of the most wholesomely homey places the soldier could recall having ever seen. If not for the petite demoness sitting on a log, legs folded as she stared at the sparking campfire in front of her, the soldier might have felt a slight desire to stay for a while. As it was, he simply raised his shotgun and approached.

She spoke before he could fire. "I have been awaiting your arrival, warrior. I will not run from my fate. I saw it coming many sleepless hours ago." She glanced up at him, her expression somber. "May I request that you stay your weapon a short while? I swear on my life that I will not try to harm you in any way, and I promise to give you something for it."

The soldier paused. He wasn't sure what made him do it. Maybe it was the fact that her thin horns curled from her straight blond hair like a laurel wreath around her forehead. Maybe it was because she was wearing pajamas and no shoes. Maybe it was because she looked so indescribably sad that it made even the soldier hesitate.

Isabeld let out a loud woof of displaced air as they belly-flopped onto the ground, both heads fast asleep. The soldier's eyes narrowed as he saw it, turning back to Sloth. That was pretty suspicious.

She seemed to pick up on his worry and said evenly, "My presence has a calming effect on everyone within a certain area of me. I assure you that your friends are perfectly fine." She indicated the log opposite her. "Would you like to sit? I expect you haven't rested in quite some time."

He hadn't. But he didn't trust her, either. Part of him still wanted to shotgun her in the head and be done with it. At the same time, he'd just walked into Wrath's kingdom and ripped his head off, so this mild-mannered lady in front of him hardly seemed to be a threat in comparison. Given that she expressed neither fear nor trepidation towards her death, he nearly wanted to hear her out. But not quite.

She spoke before he could make up his mind. "Do you know, warrior, that the Sins were not always demons?"

The soldier blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected that.

Sloth continued, watching him carefully. "I myself was an elf. A former princess and a powerful adventurer, I was fairly well known for taking on even the most difficult quests. For a long while, I worked alongside the Sins you know as Pride and Wrath." She chuckled quietly, adding, "I must confess, I was quite an arrogant person back then. But immortality tends to bring along with it perspective."

The soldier sat on the log, dismissing his weapon with a gesture. He could shotgun this demoness at any time, but in this moment, with crickets chirping and the buzz of nightlife in his ears, he felt that it could perhaps wait a little while.

She spoke once again, her quiet voice full of some melody only she knew. "I can't quite say when we decided that our lives were not long enough, that we desired the party to never end. I can tell you that it was long ago enough that I no longer remember my own name. I suspect you yourself may suffer from a similar infliction."

Staring at his hands, the soldier wondered when the last time was that someone had called him by name. Not by the name of Doom - he was well aware that the moniker was spreading like wildfire among those he did and didn't know. He wasn't sure how to feel about it, except for the pleasant fact that it brought terror to his enemies. But... what was his name?

Resting her cheek on one hand and supporting it with her knee, she said, "Pride... He deserved that name. If I was arrogant, he was truly pride incarnate. Our victories were without number and our losses numbered none, and it went to his head. As for Wrath, his truly legendary anger was only ever directed at those who struggled to discredit us, who strove to harm us, and... and especially to harm me."

She looked up at the soldier, agony in her almond eyes. "I didn't think it was my fault at the time. I never would have guessed what sort of a reaction he would have had. But he confessed to me, and I... I laughed at him. I thought that a man could never truly love anyone, but deeper... deeper, I knew that I laughed because I was terrified that there might be something within this conceited, shallow mind that he believed would be worthy of love. A horrifying reality, is it not?"

Leaning back, she stared up at the false sky, liquid glinting at the corners of her eyes. "The party was nearly broken after that. We were unsure of what to do, where to go. And then Pride approached us with a plan." She closed her eyes, her forehead furrowing as she recalled that long-gone day. "He told us of his grand vision, of the agreement he had made with Satan. A deal with the devil indeed. Wrath was against it, of course, but Pride encouraged him. As for me, I hoped that I would one day work up the courage to apologize to him. Immortality for the two of us would give me time. So much more time than I ever would have needed." She sighed deeply, her head lowering. "Far too much time, as it turned out. I never did ask his forgiveness for laughing at him, and now I never will. There's no afterlife that I know of, after all, and we are already in Hell, are we not?" She laughed miserably, shaking her head.

The soldier, as always, was silent. This time, it wasn't because he wanted everyone to shut up. Right now, he was giving some serious thought to the story that Sloth was telling him.

Sloth sighed. "Warrior... you know the reason behind Pride's name and the purpose behind Wrath's. But do you know why I am Sloth? Why I chose to be Sloth?" She continued after a moment. "To fall asleep is a glorious thing. Dreams are an escape from these tired worlds the likes of which exist nowhere else. For most, there is only so far to fall before morning comes, tugging us all back to reality. But as Sloth, I could descend further and further into those marvelous depths, moving away from the pains and troubles that awaited me in this world."

Looking up at him, she smiled faintly. "Have you discovered it yet? That bridge between this world and others? In dreams, I have fallen so far and so deep that I found them. Those thin barriers between here and there, that screen made up of small squares presenting our world as a mere tale to unknown entities. As a world spun into existence by a spider, a way to pass the time. An escape for others, that they might delve into this world and leave theirs, even if only for a brief while. How I wish that I could find my way past that screen into their world. I desired to one day escape here and visit theirs, although that dream is now distant."

She stared at the ground and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Warrior... I am not ready to die. But I am resigned to it. Would you..." She trailed off, one hand rubbing at the delicate ring finger of the other. "Would you grant me a moment of privacy? It should not take more than a short while, I promise."

He watched her silently, and she blinked. "I had nearly forgotten. Here is your gift, as promised."

The soldier felt the familiar intrusion of a Perk entering his mind, and pulled up a notification box.

~ MEMORY LANE ~

Sloth's Blessing

This Perk is unique to those who have garnered the respect of one of the Nine Sins of Hell, Sloth. It requires neither mana nor vitality for its fuel, but only needs the conviction of someone who will overcome all obstacles to achieve their dreams, whatever they may be. Use this Perk to visit past events in your mind, and recall your inspiration and your drive to perform feats the likes of which mortal creatures can only begin to imagine.

He wasn't sure what all of that meant if he was honest. It seemed important in some way, and definitely looked significant, but he'd have to wait until later to ask what exactly it did.

Sloth was wringing her hands nervously. "Warrior... I am far from sinless. I have not gained my title and form for no reason. I have performed atrocities, and I have done horrific things to people who did not deserve them. But I have also held the Sins back from making decisions that would have leveled cities, that would have slain millions. I am aware that it is much to ask, but please. I beg of you, grant me my final request."

The soldier stared at her for a long moment and then stood. Walking over to Isabeld, he turned back around and waited. Sloth nearly collapsed from the stress and nodded gratefully. "Thank you, warrior. I should only be a moment." Stiffly, she rose and walked into her house. The door closed with a faint click.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The moment the door closed, Sloth fell to the floor. Her breath hitched in massive, unending sobs as she clutched at the fuzzy rug inside her house. The tears flooding to her eyes obstructed her vision so thoroughly that the carefully knitted pattern she'd put into it merged and swam before her, melting into a pool of vague color.

Why, she wondered. Her mind was incapable of progressing past that single word, that impending Doom that waited for her outside. She knew that it would come for her eventually, that the stains on her soul would one day emerge and ask for the payment due. For the grim reward that she had assigned herself.

And yet, despite that, she found herself unable to come to terms with it. She had lost so many friends over her incredible lifetime, people and creatures so close to her heart that they were more family than the elves she had left behind so many millennia ago. She was nearly certain that there was no afterlife beyond Hell, and even if there was, she was far more sure that she would not be going there. Whatever place her soul would travel, if any, it would be far from a pleasant one, and she would be deserving of it.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, her long hair draped over her trembling form as she cried her agony and fear to the still house. She knew that it had been a lot longer than a minute at this point and that the warrior outside would likely enter soon. But he didn't.

Time passed. It was impossible to say how long she hunched there, but eventually, with monumental effort, she dragged herself to her feet. Struggling to the door, she forced her shivering hand to pull it open. "Warrior, I apologize for-"

She paused. Doom Guy, his Lepori friend, and his Orthrus were gone. There was a slight disturbance in the gravel where the gigantic dog had rested, but aside from that the only hint that they had ever been there was a small bag sitting on the ground. Sloth made her way to it in a nearly dreamlike state, feeling as though the whole situation couldn't possibly be happening.

The bag was heavier than she'd expected. Pulling the top open, she saw what was inside, and removed it.

It was Wrath's head. His expression was puzzled, as though he couldn't believe that someone had finally managed to defeat him. After a long moment, Sloth hugged it close to her chest, closing her eyes as tears continued to stream from them. "Oh, Jakob." She whispered to it, caressing it softly. "How I wish I would have told you yes."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The soldier walked along the crimson road quietly, not saying anything. He was well aware that he was going to come back and kill her, obviously. But she had asked for some time, and he had decided to give her time. After all, she'd never specified how long she wanted him to wait before coming back.

Daisy yawned as she woke up, rubbing her eyes and looking around sleepily. "Whhh... what happened? Did we find her?"

Glancing over to her, the soldier nodded briefly. She blinked tiredly, asking, "Did we kill her already?"

The soldier thought for a moment, and then gave her a thumbs-up. Daisy grinned. "Sweet. I'm just... gonna take another nap, if you don't mind. That was the best sleep I've had in ages." Curling back up on Isabeld's broad back, she closed her eyes and slowly settled back into sleep.

The soldier stared off into the distance.

Mercy was a strange thing to him. The thought of battling someone nearly to death and then not granting them that death was a foreign concept to him. Everyone asked for it when they were on their last legs, but no one every actually planned on rewarding the person who had given them that rare mercy. More often than not, they ended up stabbing their would-be murderer in the back at the first opportunity they could find.

But with Sloth... The soldier felt no worry when he spared Sloth.