"We've slain three of these pretender angels. Only one remains before we find whoever has started all this." Uriel said.
"Yes...the last one is likely the one who controls water and embodies prudence." Sheer said.
"The Cardinal Virtue of Prudence, Sapientia. Also known as Controller of the Seas." Simon said. "He was fought in the middle of the ocean, given that he was based on a marine animal that roamed the depths of the sea. This is due to people characterizing the sea as the source of all life, a fountain of prudence and wisdom."
"Oh, so it's potentially going to be an aquatic fight then." Moltar said.
"Not underwater." Simon answered. "Just be prepared for a rainstorm."
"Ah. Well rain I can handle." the molten man said as the group opened the final door, stepping into an area that depicted a vast ocean.
"Ah, so that's it." Simon said as he looked down. "An invisible platform." he said as it glowed where the group stood, revealing small Enochian text.
"Looks like some sort of ancient writing. Can you read it, Simon?" Hope said.
"I don't think that's gonna matter." Sheer said as a large beast appeared. "Cause our enemy just appeared."
Water engulfed the being before it shrunk down into humanoid form, revealing a strange helmet with a line over it before it opened, revealing its face as it brandished razor sharp claws.
"You have arrived to face me so quickly." it said, its helmet moving to mirror speech. "I am reminded why we were bested before. A valuable memory, but not my objective now. I am here as the final guardian that stands between all of you and the one who rules over this dun-"
Mermista, in annoyance, manipulated some water to douse Sapientia, cutting off his train of thought.
She then groaned. "Another chatterbox."
"Alright, before we deal with you, just tell us who your puppetmaster is." Simon said, brandishing Rakshasa.
"Yeah, I think it's best we know who your master is. If you're gonna talk about anything, why don't you spill the beans on him?"
Sapientia chuckled. "You speak of the one who forced us into servitude? We had believed to be resurrected to Paradiso but... no...this is not Paradiso...it claims it is a paradise but...this is not a true one. It is...corrupted." he said as he started to shake.
"Then why fight us? You don't have to put yourself through the same ordeal as what happened to you before." Hope said.
"Because if we do not fulfill our duties, we will...fade to nothing. All of us." Sapientia said.
"Fade to nothing? As in being erased from existence completely?" Hope said. "That's crazy! I know you and the other three Audito wanted to revive your greatest deity in the past so that the world could be reborn, but nobody deserved to be erased!"
"Such a...ah!" Sapientia called out as it writhed in pain. "Wait...it's not what it…"
"SILENCE! YOU DO NOT DECIDE YOUR FATE. THAT IS LEFT TO ME!" a voice echoed as a skeletal arm rose up. "IF YE WILL NOT BEND TO MY WILL, THEN YE SHALL FALL LIKE THE OTHERS WHO DARE FAIL BEFORE ME."
"I… understand." Saipentia said as the arm sunk into the ground as he prepared for battle. "I am sorry. But for the sake of my own life… you all must die."
"Hate to burst your bubble, but it's the other way around." Simon said.
"Sorry Hope. But this guy is going down." Mermista said as she jumped up and thrusted her trident into Sapientia's forehead.
"Yeah. It's what we have to do." Hope said. "At least I tried to offer that path."
Mermista jumped into the waters surrounding the invisible platform as Sapientia began his attack.
"Boom!" Simon said as Madama's hand pounded down onto Sapientia, hurtling him into the ocean.
"Now you're mine!" Mermista said swimming through the water at high speed, battering the Virtue of Prudence. Sapientia tried to fight back, but Mermista's speed in the water was too quick for him to match.
"His biggest mistake was not fighting Mermista in his original form." Noelle said. "At least then, he'd have more options to attack."
Mermista then launched Sapientia into the air as she summoned a typhoon that lifted her up.
"Sorry to spoil your comeback, but you're all washed up." Mermista said. "Water Magic: Vortex Prison!"
The spiral of water surrounded Sapientia, putting him in a vacuum with rushing water and high winds.
"And now, here's my Ultimate Move!" Mermista said. "Tidal Crash!"
The vortex closed in on its target, slamming Sapientia with enough force to crush his body flat. He was squeezed tight enough by the pressure that his head popped off his shoulders.
"Thank you… I see now that we should not have made a deal with this demonic fiend." Saipentia said. "Death and eternal sentence in Inferno, is better than being a lifeless puppet to that abomination. May you and your comrades be forever blessed by…" he spoke before the arm rose one more and dragged him down into the ground.
"No need to bless us with some kinda god or anything." Mermista said. "We don't really have a good history with them."
"That's all four of them." Simon said as they soon found themselves back in the previous area, but now there was a staircase leading up to a great door.
"That must lead to the final room." Theo said. "We better be prepared. No telling what lurks there."
"Yeah, and it's high time the big bad himself learns not to screw with a warlock." Simon said.
"Here we go." Hope said as they started to ascend up the stairs.