A/N.: It's been quite a few days since my last update, I've got busy over updating my other fanfic and with school starting again! I'm glad that there are so many people who like my fanfic but please review if it is the case! I can't keep on relying on my friend fantasy.92 for that!
The letter J is for... the word "Jealousy".
―The Purgatory is a place of chaos where mutilated souls and predatory monsters seek prey, how there is scorching heat, blistering cold and toxic air that destroys the flesh of the living and how time and space are warped, saying that a minute corresponds to a year in there. In this place there are only two living species; the Foreign ones that are the souls fallen in Purgatory that transformed by rage into pitch-black creatures with no definite form or substance. When they die they turn to dust. Then there are the Indigenous ones that are creatures naturally born in Purgatory, with evolved bodies that withstand the extreme conditions of Purgatory. As they have 'substance', when they die they leave corpses.
Yet there were two beings that didn't belonged to each of the mentioned categories, that were standing alive facing each other in this same Purgatory. The first one is a robustus man with a full long curly beard. His height reaches the clouds, even greater than that of any Giant in stature, he was surronded by an ominous dark mist that didn't made him look fully visible besides for his gigantic shadow shown on the ground. The second one belonged to that of a short young man of child-like stature with blond hair and green eyes, glaring openly at the gigantic future in front of him, the differences between their sizes and powers could be compared to a mouse and an elephant's.
"Oh...? Look like something interesting is going on on the other side, Meliodas." The deep voice of the giant-like demon retinted while Meliodas was on the ground, trying to take out his anger on his old man instead of quietly waiting for his resurrection to happen even though he knew it was meaningless, he just hated him so much that he could barely handle it all the contrary of what he felt towards Elizabeth.
"What are you trying to say, Demon King?!" He refused to call him 'Father' ever again, as long as this same being was here to make him and Elizabeth suffers...
"What I am saying, is that it seems that this detestable wench that you love so much, had been found out by Estarossa."
"What...?!"
"It seems that she went to pick up your corpse but who knew that Estarossa was going to come back to you at the same time? Isn't that unfortunate? She may not die in front of you this time before even the curse is activated."
"You bastard! Try anything on Elizabeth and―"
"And you will what? Should I remind you, foolish son of mine, that I can hardly do anything as I am, being here shamefully trapped in this Purgatory? But hardly can you too, right? Besides what? Even if you were to try something against me, it would be meaningless, especially if you remember the utter defeat you subissed 3,000 years ago while you still had your full power compared to now. All the informations I've got know is thanks to my loyal 'eye' that I send to observe you all this time."
"Kuh...!" Meliodas bite his lower lips in anger and frustration, hard enough to almost draw blood out. Like all the last times, all he can do is to wait for the resurrection to be complete so he could move his physical body again, until then he could only wait here with his soul, unable to move when Elizabeth might be in danger by Estarossa's hands while enduring his shitty father's taunting without knowing wherever it is true or not! Not to mention about this 'eye' he keep mentioning but which he can never found, as if he was bringing it on purpose just to annoy him! All he hope is that he can go back to them in time before anything weird is done to Elizabeth!
'―Huh?' Wait a second... 'before anything weird is done to Elizabeth'...? But what in question? Thousand of possibilities start to run through Meliodas' mind; Elizabeth being captured, being tortured, being killed... all the ones he can only think of are the worst endings possibles, there was no way they were going to have the kindness to spare her specially after learning her affiliation with him!
"Wait a second, Demon King..."
"OH? What with you, being suddenly so talkative after having that wench being mentioned? You sure grew disgustingly effeminate after that woman changed you. It is enough to the point of making me vomit, Meliodas." The Demon King scoffed in disgust, in normal times upon facing such a reaction, Meliodas would be utterly angered. Indeed he felt himself growing weaker than how he was originally but Elizabeth gave him so many things far more treasurable than weakness, he wouldn't let him insult her...
...
...Or so the Demon King thought that it would be what Meliodas would screams back at him like he usually did, yet he was surprised to see no reaction from his son while he was insulting the same woman he loved. Yet no reaction? Though he was thinking all he just said, the Demon King couldn't help but taunt his son with his weaknesses to show his superiority so getting no reaction in return was a little disappointing... maybe Meliodas finally gave in? No, impossible, that stubborn son of his never knew when to give up after all, so why―?
"You... what on earth..."
"Is there something you would like to add Meliodas?"
"About Elizabeth, what on earth is happening to her right now?"
"...Hah?" The Demon King could only raise an eyebrow at his son's question (though it can't be seen from an outside point of view). He did expected him to ask such a question but not in such a calm manner, he more imaginated it to hear his voice to be full of anger and resentment, yet why such a calm attitude? Is it because he learnt on how to control his wrath? No, it would always fail when the opponent is this Demon King after all.
"What is happening to Elizabeth right now? Did Estarossa did anything to her?"
'No, as expected he is just masking his rage after all...' Just like earlier when he wandered nonchalantly in the Purgatory though it was only a façade to hide his real feelings of turmoil. He could feel the edge in his voice that barely restrained his anger. Currently his 'eye's' vision couldn't follow Elizabeth's movements anymore, it must be because she is out of the Seven Deadly Sins' reach now, but he could still take a look at what's happening at Camelot as his representative and son Zeldris was present in there. Estarossa surely had brought her over there to the demon's base. Should he tell Meliodas though? ...If it can make him suffer as a punishment for his mistakes as he keep on refusing to give up on that goddess finally then it would benifits them.
[Thus, around 15 minutes later of explanation (in the Purgatory time)...]
"...Hoh?" Meliodas responded after a long silence, his bangs were hiding his eyes thus making his expression being unreadable besides for the dark smile formed on his face. It was not long after that he started to laugh creepily like a broken record, "Hohohohohohoho..."
'Did I broke him?' The Demon King couldn't help but think so. Well technically Estarossa had yet done anything to Elizabeth of course but Meliodas' imaginations went wild just by mentioning the strict minimum and now it was breaking his son's mind.
"Hehehehe... So he dares to try such a thing, to MY Elizabeth of all things...? Heheheheheee..."
'And it isn't getting better at all.' If the Demon King's expression could be seen then he would be surely frowning in confusion, but his height was too enormous for the tiny Meliodas to notice such a change, until...
"Unforgivable." Surprisingly the deep voice that just reasonated didn't belonged to the Demon King, but to his son. Then suddenly the earth (of the Purgatory) started to shake around them, as a dark mist-like wind was starting to surround Meliodas
"Impossible! You managed to create a change in the Purgatory...?!" The only one who managed to do so was him, the one and only Demon King yet he couldn't even escape this prison, not even the habitants of this place and even less his son who was currently only an astral existence as he was being separated from his body. Yet when this same son was continuing on laughing like a maniac with the black mist around him dancing as if to accompany his bulbing emotions, the Demon King for the first time in who-know-how-many years, started to get worried... and it was for himself.
Meliodas shouldn't be able to get out of the Purgatory originally, yes, unless he fed some of his emotions to the Demon King so both could regain some of their original powers that is which took some time, yet the Demon King noticed that Meliodas did fed him emotions, but not the disgusting effeminated ones that make him became weak, but rather only one emotion that seems to be dark, long and endless... to be more precise, the kind of one who would give you a stomachache and make you want to throw up from overeating...
'Aah... So it was a mistake to tell him about that goddess' current situation...' The Demon King noted to himself as he found himself too weak to stop his son from bursting out of the Purgatory like some kind of rocket towards the moon. What Meliodas just gave him keep on working, it's strange because his magic power 'The Ruler' consisted about inversion, all the attacks meant to hurt him would heal him yet the effects didn't showed up with Meliodas' strange emotion feeding, was it because there was no magic or physical attacks at work, just a psychologic one?
(By the way, what would happen with Elizabeth and Estarossa isn't that terrible to say the truth, the exaggerated reaction is just the fruit of Meliodas' overreaction.)
Elizabeth could only bites her lower lip in frustration, her hands being restrained by ropes against a bed. She could only curses her own naïvity, weakness and useless self over and again. She came to check on Meliodas' body only to see that he was truly dead, thus instead of bringing him back to Liones' castle, she cried her heart out on his corpse, she would never have known back then that suddenly the Commandment of Love, Estarossa would return for his brother as well and see her at the same occasion! And here she is now being helpless against the demon who killed her beloved and who was now going to play with her until she breaks! Elizabeth is known to be quite a forgiving person, yet it was the first time that she felt hatred towards someone, surely because of that fact the curse of the Commandment make her more weak than ever.
Estarossa only stared at the woman with a glint in his eyes, he got quite the trouble when he brought her here but if it was for the sake of such a nice sight then it was worthy of it; the woman seemed to be important to Meliodas, having her here would be a good way of vengeance, specially with her weak self yet strong eyes that refused to submit to him any soon, that would make breaking her so much funnier... and for some reason, he felt the need to make that woman his.
"What will you do from now on? Your hero Meliodas won't come to save you anymore." He asked and taunted her, the girl despite trembling in fear returned an unwavering glare to him, it only make him chuckle in response as he approached her with all kind of ideas of what he might do to her going through his mind.
Elizabeth's strong façade finally started to crack as tears gathered at the corner of her eyes as she closed her eyes, fearing to see what kind of things might happen and hoping that everything would just be a bad dream and she would wake up soon. 'L–lord Meliodas...!' Just like Estarossa said, he wouldn't come back anymore, he was dead. With a little chance if her suffering is short, she would be able to see him on the other side again. Yet she couldn't help but call out to his name in desperation, but before Estarossa could do anything―
"―ROSSA, OUT!"
"What the heck?!" Having an unexpected call which destroyed the whole intimidating mood he could set up, Estarossa tripped on his feet and landed on the floor away from Elizabeth. The princess too was surprised by this as her fear was now replaced by confusion as she blinked a few times over and again at what was happening.
'And all my hard work went to waste, huh?' Estarossa couldn't help but think so as he directed his head towards the ceiling as a portail with only a view of the voice of who it could belong appeared. "Oi, what the heck, Old man?! I didn't even had the time to try anything!" Yes, it was the Demon King in person, if he wasn't so disappointed that his fun time got interrupted at the best moment possible, Estarossa would have noticed that there was something weird with the Demon King contacting a Commandment instead of his personal representative aka his cute little Zel brother (though the last time Estarossa called him like that, he got beated up pretty badly).
"STOP IMMEDIATELY WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO DO, ESTAROSSA! HE IS ON HIS WAY TOWARDS HERE―"
"Hah? What's wrong with you suddenly Old man? It doesn't sound like you to say something like that, I thought you didn't cared. Besides who the heck is coming towards here? Demons took over the place, remember?" It didn't sounded something like the prideful and powerful Demon King would say, did something happened in the Purgatory?
"Um... what on earth is... happening?" Ironically it wasn't him but the princess tied up to the bed who asked so, with all the confusion her fear and hatred towards him got completely blown away, the nice sight of earlier became disappointing. To the point of questioning her enemy like this, seriously?
"...To say the truth, I don't know myself." He answered her hesitantly, but the occasion he finally got now was wasted. It was then―
"ESTAROSSA!"
*CLANG!*
"What again?!" For some reason he kept on getting interrupted again! Estarossa was now turning in an annoyed manner towards the entrance. The door of his room got suddenly crashed away against the wall of the opposite side with a great pressure... only to reveal the one behind it but the smoke was getting in the way in order to see who it was... without adding that the person in question is short. ...Wait a second, the voice just now... it ressembled Zeldris' but there was something weird about it, though if it was just Zel then everything would be alright. Then the smoke finally cleared away to see that the person on the other side was―
"Lord Meliodas...!" Elizabeth cried out with now tears of joy ready to fall from her eyes and a big smile on her face. He was really here, he was really alive! Estarossa, him, was completely dumbfounded, how was someone he killed himself still be alive and kicking...? ...And also where on earth did Meliodas gained those boxing gloves he is currently wearing?
"Elizabeth..." Meliodas called out, relieved that she was still alive, but soon froze upon seeing her current state (aka being tied up on a bed) before his imagination ran wild again and then he burned with fire of determination and anger as he directed everything towards Estarossa. The said silver-haired demon could only stare back at Meliodas with a hollow smile as he finally understood what on earth was going around; but now he felt like that Meliodas was a professional boxer and he was on the same ring against him... yep, he should have ran away when he still could.
―This is, ladies and gentlemen, not the work of the power of love but the power of jealousy. Of course, this story is only fiction and is not related to the original storyline at all, but it is just an alternative possibility of what may have happened if Meliodas was able to go back of his own strength than with the curse.
Preview of the next chapter: After Diane reveals that she and King had finally their first kiss, Elizabeth is said to yet given her first one, yet Meliodas seems to be strangely pensive about it?!
A/N.: This one takes place right after Meliodas' death by Estarossa's hands, where Elizabeth is hugging him while crying. Just a what-if situation out from my imagination!
[REVIEW CORNER]
fantasy.92's review at the previous chapter: "my friend! You can't see me but I'm crying! it was a great chapter!"
My answer to your review: Thank you though I didn't wanted to make you cry... can I have the right to believe that you were moved instead of sad?