Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from The Seven Deadly Sins/ Nanatsu No Taizai. They all belong to the wonderful Nakaba Suzuki.

This story, however, belongs to me.

Believe it or not, a section of this chapter was the first thing I actually wrote for this story! I'm used to writing from chapter one onward, but believe me when I say writing this story was absolutely chaotic. Just ask my dear friend lickitysplit XD

Thanks for reading!

~13~

-When Pushed To The Limit-

He nearly lost it.

That bastard of a King challenged him, insulted his abilities in more than one sense, and threatened to steal his Elizabeth right before his eyes.

And that damn goddess just stood there, oblivious to it all.

Meliodas struggles against the tremors that quake his form as he glares at her approaching form sidled next to his brother. He would have killed the King. Would have thoroughly rejoiced in every single moment he cause the ruler's dark, crimson blood to spill across the stone floors in a glorious display of his dominance. No one would have stood in his way. Their death would have come swiftly had they even dared. No one was to survive in that moment the King set him off. And yet…

His wrath was pushed back. Contained in a soothing warmth that can only exist in a single pair of soft, gentle hands. Elizabeth. That fiery goddess with absolutely no knowledge of the situation, the dangers that were obviously there, and how quickly he could have, would have, cut through her just to reach his goal. But she somehow reached him with an effortless that shouldn't exist. A strangling tightness that works its way up through his chest to his neck in a heated twist has his muscles tensing until they're entirely taut.

He glowers at her now as she tentatively approaches him from his brother's side only makes the rage and uncertainty inside him thrash harder. She controlled him then. Told him to stop, willed him to. That shouldn't be. He's the most powerful demon that has risen thus far. No one dictates his actions. Not truly. He'll always find a way to undermine them or show them exactly why he can't be constrained. His hands positively burn with the urge to reach her, force her down, and then make her realize exactly why his freedom is to be left alone while groaning his success up to the heavens.

Her blue eyes are bright and blink openly at him when the heat of her body finally reaches him. Meliodas thrusts his arms around her waist as fury, confusion, unease, and a flurry of overwhelming emotions continue to force tension throughout his form and bog down his mind. This never used to happen before when he was the bloodthirsty, ruthless, vile demon the demon world knows and fears. He still is actually. So why is it that there's a sense of something off about him? He growls softly as Elizabeth's form stiffens in his hold and her arms rest indecisively upon his shoulders. It's this damn goddess. It always is. And he's starting to dread the fact that it always will be.

He just doesn't understand what the hell is going on inside his head. Or his chest, as a matter of fact, as he pulls Elizabeth almost brutally close so that his head rests above her chest when his power begins to flow around them. Taking them from the demonic realm and out of the reach of the demonic lord.

~.~.~

When his power curls back inside of him and the sense of abundant demonic energy eases away, Meliodas allows his eyes to open once more. His teeth clench as his fingers twitch at Elizabeth's back. Her hands on his shoulders tense as she tries to push away from him, incensing him a notch higher.

"What happened back there, demon? Why did you try to attack him over something simple?" Her voice comes out slowly, but the demanding tone is there. She wants answers. And she thinks she'll have them with the effortless use of her lovely voice.

Meliodas' eyes slit in a look of piercing blades as he forces her back and into a tree. His body quickly crushes hers as he pins her there. "You're beyond idiotic if you think you'll keep that attitude of yours with me."

Elizabeth's blue eyes widen at his sudden motion before they turn as cold as ice in her stare. She shoves him harshly, but his arms come near bruising in their hold on her arms, keeping him right in place. "What the hell do you mean? You already tortured me once. You will not do it again."

His chest strains with the force of his laugh. With the force of his rage. "You still don't get it do you. You don't realize what danger you put us in back there."

"Me?" Her voice blares in his ears.

"Yes, you!" He yells back, getting closer to her reddening face. His blood begins to boil, turning into a hum within his ears from how quick it's pounding. "You practically flaunted yourself before the King. Calling his attention like some common wench."

Her lips form a circle so wide it's nearly comical if not for the situation. But then her pearly whites clench so hard he can almost feel the pain of her strain. "How dare you!? You're the one who grabbed me in front of the throne room doors. You made me look like one! I told you again and again, you bastard, not to touch me!" She's nearly shrieking in her outrage.

His body presses so close to her they both struggle to breath with the constriction. "You're so damn stupid!"

"I am?"

"YES!" He bellows, "You knew nothing of what was going on there. Nothing. You continue to be a nuisance. No, a plague." His voice grinds into her as they share a murderous stare off.

"If you hate me so much, why haven't you killed me already then? That was your plan from the beginning after all." She hisses scathingly.

His head shakes only a fraction as the roaring heat of their argument sizzles around them in choking wafts. His hands clenched around her arms as he presses tightly to her smooth down to settle around her waist. The movement causes her to look beyond scandalized. "Believe it or not, the King would have done far worse things to you than I ever would. And you just kept going on and on in self offering."

"When? I never did such a thing, you vile pig," She spits her words in his face. She's daring him to prove his words as lies. That he's definitely done things to her far worse than the King.

But his frown only deepens and the fire in his chest becomes painful as he imagines her with the King. Her crying and begging in an entirely different way than she had earlier that night. "You're so damn clueless." His voice grows louder as she tries to talk over him, "He wanted you!"

She blinks once then twice, before she's shaking her head. Thinking he's lying. Never believing him when he's doing something right. "He only wanted to help me."

"He wanted to fuck you. Screw you until you were screaming bloody murder, but I saved you." He gives a cold humorless laugh. "I saved you."

A range of things flare through her gorgeous pool of eyes and never truly seem to settle even as she speaks in a biting tone. "Like you don't wish to do the same if today's events is anything to go by. You didn't save me. You're a demon. Blood, pain, hate, and anger. That's what you crave. You don't have it in you to save someone genuinely," She mutters cuttingly as her eyes flick away from him.

Meliodas starts quaking as his head bows in the turbulent flood of emotions that begin to overcome him. Elizabeth tries to struggle in his hold, but he merely holds her closer, if possible, as his voice flows out in a quiet rumble. "Why?"

She stills, momentarily. "Why what?" Her voice is cold. Uncaring in her inquiry.

And then his eyes snap up as he all but roars in her startled face, "Why do I give a damn?" His head nearly explodes under the weight of the whirling sensations trying to make themselves known in his mind, but remaining unclear as he stares into her crystal blue eyes. "You're a fucking worthless goddess, not fit to even be in my presence. So WHY?"

Elizabeth stares wide eyed into his infuriated gaze and he glares back, hatefully. Because she is the reason. She is the cause for everything! Her pathetic form trembles like a feeble leaf in his arms as he heaves for breath, feeling more than hot, more than searing in this ridiculous situation. He should have let her go with the King. Let him do with her heinous things, so that she'd learn to listen to him and learn that her words and her knowledge is not above his. That she is not above him. But picturing her with him, the image of her out of his hold and control, is maddening.

Meliodas sucks in a sharp breath as he raises a hand to seize her stunned visage. Cupping her cheek coarsely as he leans up and his nose brushes hers. But then they both freeze under the painful chill of multiple beings converging on them.

~.~.~

It happens so abruptly, even their highly trained senses aren't quick enough to pick up on it in time. Meliodas is the first to spring into action as a horde of entirely black masses slink from the shadows. Elizabeth's mind is too overwhelmed from her and Meliodas' argument to consider whether or not she should back him up as a group of the beasts converge upon her.

The goddess pushes it to the back of her mind for later dissection as their current situation calls for her attention. Her muscles tense as she backflips out of their springing range. As she lands, her palm braces against the moist dirt of the forest floor. Her blue eyes narrow into icy slits as she takes in the monsters appearances their shapeless forms. She cringes inwardly at the high pitched howls they make every once in a while as they writhe around in twitching motions.

Her observation is interrupted as her back twinges from an uncomfortable sensation. She twirls to her left and one of the creatures lands right where she was previous. Elizabeth extends her right hand as she stands erect. A long sword glowing of otherworldly light materializes in her palm. The hilt bares sacred markings of the goddesses with the cross guard resembling angelic wings.

She ignores the sound of battle from Meliodas' scuffle and charges into the throng of creatures waiting for her. With a battle cry she swipes her blade at a lunging mass. The light from her blade slams into the creature and extends into a brief wave. She nearly smirks at her successful strike until the sounds start.

Earsplitting screeches of agony.

Elizabeth's footing falters for a moment as her eyes widen in horror. Never before has she seen something like this happen. The creatures her light managed to touch are thrashing about in torture while emitting inhuman wails. Their forms begin to dissolve, melting into sopping blotches of goo before instantly evaporating. "W-what?" Her power doesn't kill. It never has. It's only ever turned the darkness inside one into pure light. So what…?

She's jolted roughly from her spiraling thoughts as a sharp hiss of pain is forced between her lips with the strength of a monster's strike. She spins away from it as warm blood begins to trail down her arm. Her features harden once more as she raises her blade and begins to swipe at the rapidly approaching beasts. She can't let her thoughts dwell on this oddity. Not in the heat of battle.

The monsters snarl and howl as sharp protrusions extend from their formless bodies. They are relentless as they come for her. That is until her sword begins to cut through them. Then the forest Meliodas' power brought them to begins to swell with agonized cries once more, tearing viciously at her heart. She doesn't stop however. She can't. These are the things that have been taking out the demon and goddesses' clan in droves. They must be stopped, no matter how torturous to her soul it might feel.

But as she places her sword sharply through the center of the last shadowy monster, a curious thought comes to her mind. Rising about all the turmoil and swirling pain that hangs above her relentlessly. Why is it that these creatures seemed to come so quickly to their location when they just arrived? Surely no one should know where they are...?

Elizabeth slowly lowers her sword and marches to the place the last creature was. She kneels at the spot and lowers her hand to the tarnished ground in search of any evidence to their odd reactions. Her ears pick up distant sounds. Meliodas is much further away than before. 'Meliodas is still fighting? He's… stronger than me,' a grimace worms across her lips as her fingers claw slightly at the ground, 'So why is he still…?'

The ground beneath her feet begins to rumble viciously taking her attention away from investigating the monster's disappearance. She whirls to face what's coming and feels her hand beginning to tremble against the hilt of her blade.

Elizabeth has to crane her neck rigidly just to see the top of the opaque black mass. It more than towers over the trees and greatly resembles a small building in width. The sludge that leaks from it tears a small trench in the ground below it. The goddess doesn't see its eyes, but she knows it's boring a hole into her body. It's only a matter of time before it envelops her, pulling her into a torturous grave. The sheer power it emits… This is why their clans have been falling.

Thin brows lower as her grip tightens upon her weapon. "I won't let you continue. You're not going to kill anyone else!" The goddess darts through the air with her sword drawn back. Rapidly she slashes into the monster as her heart pounds ferociously. The dripping blackness sweeps off to the sides with her strikes and her hair flicks across her face with her motions. For the first time in nearly 2,000 years, pure dread begins to seep into her veins as she slowly comes to a realization.

Her light… it's not affecting the monster at all.

There's no expanding warmth as it heals and morphs into a pure being. There's not screeching like before. No thrashing. Nothing. So when she lifts her hand to strike once more, her pupils dilate at the powerful impact she takes to her stomach. Her body careens backwards as she's sent tumbling through the dirt and grass. She slams sideways into a tree while her sword flies from her hand. As soon as it lies still, the otherworldly sword vanishes, leaving her weaponless.

Elizabeth moans in pain as she struggles to get up. 'I have to… move or it'll… be too late.' She can't even breathe properly as the torment from that blow still radiates through her system. Barely on hands and knees as her hair matted in dirt and sweat curtains her face, she feels tiny droplets of blood drip from her stomach and slip past her lips.

The rumbling of the monster's motion alerts her once more and another emotion she hasn't felt in a long time encompasses her. Fear.

With a raspy gasp she forces her power outward. Not a second later the monster crashes against her vibrant shield. It encircles her entirely, but it's a strain to keep it up as the monster again and again slams itself against it.

With shaky limbs from her wounds Elizabeth flops into a sitting position against the tree and breathes harshly. Her blue eyes, wide and disbelieving, lock onto the beast as it comes at her with unstoppable force. The way she sees it, that thing will not stop until she's dissolved into a bloody pile of bones at its feet. And with a grimace as it crashes against her slowly fracturing shield, it'll soon have its wish.

"I don't… understand. My shield is… light. It should work against that t-thing!" She's feeling desperation grip her as the fractures become harsh cracks, tearing at her insides in a way that makes her whimper in her throat.

It's going to get through. She only has one last shot to try and stop it. Elizabeth raises her bloody right hand that once covered her stomach. In it materializes a beige wooden bow glowing golden in light. On the tips of the bow rest beautiful white roses whose petals occasionally fall off and float lazily through the air, only for another petal to take its place. She shakily lifts her other hand to pull back the string as a massive golden arrow of light forms.

Her blue eyes harden in resign as her hair messily clings to her face. "If I'm going down…. I'm taking you with me."

The tortuous crashing against her barrier stops the moment it breaks through. Elizabeth closes her eyes and lets her arrow fly. It whizzes through the air with the heat of a burning sun, lodging itself deeply into the creature's gut. Seconds pass. Then a minute before she opens her eyes to bear witness to her work.

It stands in place mere inches from her form with her arrow firmly in place. The creature doesn't make a move. Her breath is shaky as she hesitantly shifts. "D-did it work…?"

She lowers her bow as she begins to try and wriggle from her position.

The monster twitches then lunges for her crazed in its intent. Elizabeth doesn't even have time to scream.

With eyes peeled wide to watch her demise befall her, her heart lurches at the sight of a massive sword delving straight though the monstrosity from behind. A beating heart of sorts dangles crudely in front of her face for a few moments before it stops its motions. Then the mass begins to slowly hiss as it dissolves, taking the once lively heart with it.

Her petrified eyes take in Meliodas' form standing quite a distance away as his massive sword extends the gap between them. His silver pants are burned through in some places and the longcoat he adorns looks as if he was forced to rip the high collar off at some point. She watches him slowly bring his sword back down to his side before he releases his grip on it. The massive blade vanishes, awaiting to be called on when he needs it again.

His dark gaze is penetrating as his slow gait pulls him nearer to where she rests. Elizabeth looks away as her cheeks redden in shame. She should have handled that better. She's going to be the next leader of the goddesses. How could she let herself nearly get taken down and have to be saved by a demon of all things?

His boots softly press against the ground with his steps and she decides to watch his approach out of the corner of her eye. No matter how many times she denies it to herself, the way his muscles mold against his coat and flexes subtly beneath his arms entices her. It's sinful to think of a demon in such away, but his strength and prowess are captivating. Even the way he challenges her at every turn causes her blood to heat unwantedly. But still…

He saved her. Something his cold black eyes tell her is something he never does.

Her brows furrow as she recalls his earlier words. And then her heart swells and flutters against her will as she recalls that yes, he has saved her. Time and time again. It's something he never does, but he's done it… for her. Her eyes are turned down as she rises to stand. She wants to be able to meet him eye to eye when he reaches her. It's odd, but even if he is shorter than her, he always seems to manage to look down on her as some type of scum he wishes he'd never encountered. Her hands slightly twitch before curling to stop her fidgeting. "Thank you." It sounds quiet in the night air, but Meliodas deserves it.

Elizabeth gasps as a hand suddenly grips her chin forcing her to meet twin bottomless voids in the face of handsome evil. His smirk is cold. Cruel. "You couldn't even handle one beast on your own." He tsks patronizingly while rubbing a thumb slowly along her jaw. Hatred and desire war viciously in her system. She wants to claw the mirth clean off his face. But she knows him. Their argument before weighs as heavily on him as it does on her. Anger is the way he deals with things, so she can't let him get to her.

"You know, goddess, I had to take out three while you were over here offering yourself up like a hapless fool." The cutting tone is back as his eyes narrow on her form. It's so hard to not let him get to her, however when he says things like that. She tries not to let him force her into submission. She won't let him demean her in such away.

Her bloody arm raises and smacks his hand away forcefully. Ice nearly forms between the two as her tone lowers in loathing. "That thing was unaffected by my attacks. I would have taken it down just fine otherwise." She hisses as she lowers her face towards his to get her point across. He always angers her so easily. Her heart blares in her ears as she tries not to summon her sword to slash his throat. Wouldn't it be nice, she thinks, if his pretty little head no longer sat atop his body?

Meliodas merely glowers at her as the intricate mark that brands the expanse of his forehead writhes briefly before settling. Then that maddening smirk is back as he audaciously settles his hand back along her chin. Her fists clench as the power inside her rises. "That's the thing. You rely on that healing ability of yours too much. Can I tell you a secret?" He asks rhetorically as his teeth gleam.

She's much too seethed to respond.

Using his hold on her chin, he lowers her face so that his mouth is at her ear. The heat of his breath causes a stirring flare to pollute her veins, but the words he speaks next quickly ices her blood over. "That light of yours won't always work on opponents. In fact, you just might end up, say… killing them."

When he pulls back he seems much too pleased with himself for sharing his tidbit. Elizabeth can only stare at him with vacant eyes as she remembers the screeches of agony those creatures let out before they vanished, never to return. 'Kill them. I killed them.' Never has she killed someone before. Wounded at most, but she's always strived to convert all those she's encountered in battle. But now she's…

She's a murderer.

Meliodas watches her through frigid eyes. His thumb strokes across her jaw slowly as she internally struggles with his revelation. The feeling is anything but comforting as she practically struggles for breath. When his voice idly floats out to reach her ears once more, for once she decides to listen instead of allowing herself to wallow on the horrid thoughts swirling in her mind.

"You know… I always thought you'd look good covered in blood. Too bad it's yours and not an enemy's."

Her breath gets caught in her throat as he holds her gaze for a long moment. "W-what?"

He drops her jaw and turns around smoothly. "Let's go, goddess."

She stands there for a moment in shock and to allow herself to heal her wounds. 'What the hell was that? A… a complement of sorts?' Her skin flushes without pause, but she can't tell whether it's from that ever present desire she feels from his sinful manner or embarrassment for having it pointed out again that she couldn't handle herself in battle for once.

The goddess shoves the thoughts away in favor of striding confidently a respectable distance to the side of the demon. One slip up won't bring her down. She may have killed those things, but it was a life or death scenario. She won't hold it against herself. Not for long anyway. There's more going on here that needs to be considered. Elizabeth looks at the stony demon beside her as her heart beats unsteadily. That explosion during their argument had to mean something. Zeldris said he didn't want her hurt. So does that mean he cares?

The goddess turns her face away as her cheeks become unbearably hot. No. If she starts letting herself believe that, then she'll begin to get crazy ideas and that simply can't happen. And there are more important things happening anyway. Like her light. It killed those things and Meliodas seemed to know… Her hand flies to her mouth in horror, unknowingly catching Meliodas' attention as her eyes begin to sting. She remembers. What seems like forever ago when she first saved those demons from the creatures. She'd blamed Meliodas for killing them, but she… 'I was the one! And he took the blame! Why? Why would he…?' Her heart thuds erratically in her chest as she tries to stable her breathing. She'd thought such horrible things of him and he'd been innocent.

"What's your problem, goddess?" The bored drawl comes forth as her vision becomes slightly blurred with tears.

Settling her shaking hands down by her sides as she inhales, Elizabeth speaks as calmly as possible. Or tries to. It sounds rather wobbly to her own ears. But wholeheartedly genuine. "I'm sorry. So sorry." Because she is. More than he'll ever know.

The demon doesn't speak. And she turns to face him with a tiny watery smile to convey her words. What she doesn't expect to see is his eyes widen as he seems to take in a breath completely in awe. The pure reverence in his eyes as he gazes at her now, cause her to swallow thickly as her breathing becomes shallow and her hands begin to shake.

When he continues to look at her with the closest thing she can consider to a tender look deep within his coal-black gaze Elizabeth just about feels her heart lodge within her throat. 'Why is he… staring at me in such a way?' And then she realizes her expression. Her blushing cheeks and her softly curved lips. 'I'm smiling at him. I've never done it before… have I?' Elizabeth feels an overwhelming need to turn her gaze away, overcome with the helpless way her heart beats in her chest at his continued stare.

Her eyes land on her feet as she realizes they've stopped walking. Her voice comes out quiet, stuttering as she tries to push them back on track. "W-we should continue…"

It takes a moment, but she refuses to look up and meet his gaze once more. "R-right."

At the unsteady answer her head snaps up, but Meliodas has already taken the lead, leaving her to gaze imploringly at his back. She quickly catches up though and they make brief eye contact. His face is a mask of indifference once more, leaving her to feel a slight sinking feeling. But then she notices just the slightest smirk that rises to his face and the understanding that settles in his features.

Her heart soothes in steady warmth as she looks forward once more. For once she feels truly closer to him. It's both chilling and beyond pleasing to her.