"Merlin, why did you ask me to assist you?"

"You and I both know the answer to that, Captain." Merlin stood at her desk, her gaze on the map before her. She'd already eliminated two possible locations, yet more needed to be considered.

"You do realise that with Zeldris taking her, she'll either be on the brink of death, dead as soon as we find her or worse…"

"I have faith that we shall find her alive. I do hope the worst is her being afraid, but unless he deliberately says something that'll trigger anything, then I believe memory-wise Elizabeth will be fine."

"I hope you're right." His gaze faltered as memories crossed his mind. "It's just too soon for… that,"

"Agreed."

A comfortable silence filled the room. Merlin resumed examining the map, marking possibilities and crossing out locations which wouldn't work. Meliodas observed the areas marked possible, taking his brothers antics into consideration.

"If we get close enough, do you think you'll be able to sense her?"

"Have before, should be able to again," Meliodas' gaze met Merlin's. "Zeldris will sense us before she does,"

"I know,"

"I don't know what he'll do when he senses us."

"I know."

Pushing the door open, Zeldris held his blade. Bracing himself for any possible attacks. Moments prior, he'd heard a small crash from the basement. He hadn't thought she was stupid enough to attempt escaping, but anything was possible when it came to her.

Walking down the steps, his eyes scanned the room. The chair she once sat on had fallen on its side, the ropes now broken next to the seat.

The sound of her breathing brought his attention to the corner of the room. Elizabeth lay on the old bed. Her eyes partially closed as she took unsteady breaths.

"What are you—"

"I'm not going anywhere," she breathed, refusing to make eye contact. "My head was too painful upright. I, I couldn't stay,"

"And just how did you break those ropes?"

"Ark." she dared a look at him. His face cold and stern. "I don't have the strength to use it again. Whatever you did to my head, I can't heal myself,"

"Good." he turned to walk to the stairs. A familiar presence in the distance causing him to stop in his tracks. "Oh, so soon?"

"Merlin finally let you out, I see."

Meliodas didn't acknowledge his comrades' comment, his attention focused on the scenery around them. "Ban…"

"Hm?

"What would you say is the most likely outcome of all this?"

"Elizabeth alive. Injured, although I won't guess how much." Ban scratched his chin as he moved next to their Captain. "Zeldris, however. Killing him would be an advantage, but I doubt it'll be possible."

"You think so?"

"Captain, you know so."

Turning on the spot, Ban shifted his gaze to the Boar Hat. The rest of their team resided inside the building, creating a plan of attack.

"The master is only just calming down. Seems he was more shaken than usual by the ordeal,"

"Elizabeth should've never been left alone with Hawk. That mistake won't happen again."

"And just what would you do instead? Have her come with us to the battle, putting her in more danger, or would you rather one of us stay behind each time? Knowing everyone, Elizabeth included, would hate that."

"Well just what am I supposed to do, Ban?" his question came in the form of a snarl. Sensing his anger returning to the surface, he took a few steps forward, adding space between the two. "How am I supposed to—"

"Captain?"

Ban followed Meliodas' gaze into the scenery before them. Seeing nothing unusual.

"Don't you sense it?"

Walking forward, Ban gave him a quizzical look before freezing in place. "Sense what — oh. He's closer than we expected,"

"They were both just out of reach this whole time. How were we just far enough away to not sense him before?"

"That's definitely him, right Captain?"

"I'd recognise him anywhere."

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