The four of them stand on Hawks mama travelling to Liones.
"The other day, I heard this in the village. The rumour that these past few days there have been refugees streaming in nonstop from the Capital is indeed true. I can feel an unprecedented concentration of evil magic in the Capital as we speak" Zaratras explains to them, back in his armor
Hawk starts telling his mama to go faster.
"I imagine the Commandments are on a rampage now because Meliodas was defeated" Ayano says
"Lady Ayano" Zaratras turns to her "are you sure it is wise to bring Lady Elizabeth along?"
"their's nothing I can do" Ayano smiles and looks at Elizabeth "she has her own promise to keep"
"I swore to him... That even if something should ever happen to him... I would continue to fight to protect this kingdom and its people" Elizabeth tells them as the wind blows her bangs out of her face showing that goddess symbol in her right eye
"You two don't have to worry!" Hawk calls out "You've got a stout 100-pig-power war machine at your side!"
Elizabeth and Ayano giggle at him.
"The slightest falter or tiniest moment of negligence will mean certain death when going up against the Ten Commandments... They are monsters among monsters" Zaratras says "They are not an opponent we can hope to defeat with a simple head-on, full-frontal assault"
"I can" Ayano raises her hand "at full power, with LaLuna"
"LaLuna?" Elizabeth asks "Is that the demon sword in your necklace?"
"LaLuna isn't a demon sword" Ayano turns to her "it was a gift from my mother.. i still remember the day I got it.."
~flashback~
"Ayano..."
Ayano turned around and folded her black wings behind her back "...mother"
"so it's true.." Ayano's mother's eyes filled with tears "my baby's a demon"
Ayano is 13 years old, she was missing from the goddess race for 5 years. Their were rumors of a demon with black wings resembling a goddess on the battle field. Although those who have clearly seen her face never came back alive, their where still those who've seen glimpses of her in battle.
"mommy.." Ayano's eyes tear up "I didn't.."
"Ayano" her mother ran to her and hugs her
Ayano cries and hugs her mother.
"I was so worried about you, I had no idea this happened" her mother cries "I didn't want to believe the rumors.. I.."
"mother it's ok" Ayano wipes her tears away "I'm.. I'm happy"
"You're.. happy?" her mother asks confused
"yes.. although I'm ashamed to admit it" Ayano says sadly "I've made friends and I'm even well respected there.. their's nothing I can do now anyway" Ayano looks down "the minute I became a demon the goddess race turned their back on me, at first I cried out for help.. but they wouldn't listen.. they tried to kill me.." Ayano looks away "even dad.."
Ayano's mother covered her mouth and cried
"w-what about your grandmother?" her mother asks "surely-"
"I've tried to reenter the goddess realm.." Ayano tightens her fists "but grandmother wouldn't let me in, I've been cased aside like I'm nothing, even knew i did nothing wrong and was forced into this.. so I decided"
"You decided that.." her mother looks at her "if you weren't a goddess, then you'd live as the demon they see you as"
"right.." Ayano nods
"I'm so sorry baby" her mother hugs her again "I wish their was something I could do"
Ayano smiles, studently she feels a demonic presence and she looks up to see Meliodas charging from behind.
Ayano quickly moves in front of her mother "no Meliodas don't!"
Meliodas stops right before his sword hits her
"Ayano!" her mother shouts worriedly
"You idiot I could've hit you" Meliodas drops his sword and hugs Ayano
"S-sorry" Ayano apologizes
"Are you ok, are you hurt?!" Meliodas asks frantically while looking her up and down
"Meli I'm fine" Ayano takes his hand
Meliodas glares at Ayano's mother
"Meliodas relax I can explain" Ayano says pulling his arm
"hm?" he looks at her
"this is my mother" Ayano tells him "don't kill her please"
"your mother.." Meliodas looks at her mother before looking back at her "you two look nothing alike, your hair color is different"
"My father's hair color is red" Ayano tells him "so somehow I came out with pink hair"
"Ayano.." her mother looks nervously at Meliodas
"Mother don't worry" Ayano wraps her arms around Meliodas's arm "this is Meliodas.. I uh.. we're.."
"we're engaged" Meliodas clarifies
"engaged.. but you're only 13" her mother says confused
"it's not like we're married or anything yet" Meliodas shrugs "she has a bond mark but it's not like I've claimed her yet"
Ayano's face turned red "y-you didn't have to mention that"
"mating is a normal thing for demons though" Meliodas looks at her "it's how we show dominance and claim our mates, it-"
"ok ok that's enough" Ayano covers his mouth embarrassed
Ayano's mother chuckles and they look at her.
"I'm glad" her mother smiles "that you're being taken care of"
"mommy.." Ayano smiles a bit as a tear goes down her face
"take good care of her for me please" her mother bows to Meliodas "she means the world to me"
"of course" Meliodas nods a bit confused
"Ayano I have to get back home.. but I want you have something" her mother puts her hands together and slowly pulls them apart as a sword materializes
Ayano gasps "is that-"
"LaLuna" Ayano's mother smiles "the holy sword"
"why do-"
"take it" her mother holds the giant sword out to her "and may it protect you"
"but mother, this sword.. it's the sword that protects all goddesses" Ayano looks at her "it's the strongest-"
"you're right, it's our most powerful and sacred sword passes on through generation" her mother smiles "and now it's yours"
"but I'm a demon, how could I possess such a sword?" Ayano asks confused
"the holy sword isn't a normal sword" her mother tells her "it choses it's master, and I believe that it'll chose you" her mother smiles "i know it will protect you in my place"
Ayano reaches out and touches the sword, the giant sword turns small and looks like an old defective blade.
"oh no" Ayano says worriedly
"It's alright" her mother puts her hand on Ayano's shoulder "the sword can still be used like this, and once the sword truly believes you're ready to wield it, it'll take it's true form"
Ayano smiles and hugs her mother again. Lightning strikes the sky, both large amounts of demonic energy and light energy could be felt.
"we have to leave" Meliodas grabs Ayano's arm "a battle's about to start"
"Mommy.." Ayano looks at her "I'm sorry"
"don't be sorry" her mother smiles "if this was your destiny then who am I to stop it, I trust you"
"I love you" Ayano tells her
"I love you too" her mother kisses her cheek "now go"
Meliodas picks up Ayano, his demon wings come out and he quickly flies away with her. Ayano looks at the dull looking sword in her hands. LaLuna, the holy sword.
~end~
Ayano stops spacing out and looks over at Hawk who was now dark red with horns
"What the hell did you eat!?" Ayano shouts "A Red Demon?"
"probably" Hawk replies
Ayano sighs "Hawk not everything you see is edible, you need to-"
"Well, well... We rushed over here to see what all the fuss was about... Only to stumble upon a strange little band of misfits" A familiar voice says
They look up to see Monspeet and Derieri in the sky, two commandments known to Ayano.
"They're commandments!" Ayano shouts running in front of Elizabeth and Hawk
Derieri's eyes zoom in on Elizabeth and she instantly flies onto the giant pig, right in front of Elizabeth glaring at her "You. What the hell are you doing here?" Derieri asks then she glances at Ayano "Why are you so close to the one who caused you so much pain?"
"Derieri you know nothing" Ayano narrows her eyes "stay out of my buisness"
Zaratras runs to them, but Derieri punches him, sending him backwards breaking his armor. She runs to him and goes to punch him again. Ayano quickly moves in front of him and catches Derieri's fist.
"Don't you dare!" Ayano shouts
Ayano kicks Derieri in the gut sending her back, Derieri goes forward to attack but a bright light appears around her fist, stopping her from attacking
"It is... You..." Derieri says looking at Elizabeth
"How is it.." Elizabeth starts as her body shakes. this Elizabeth isn't meant to fight "How is it that you're able to just take other people's lives so callously and with such indifference?"
There's a slight explosion in the Ark that Elizabeth made and the skin and muscle around Derieri's wrist and hand are gone, leaving just the bones.
"There's no mistaking it now... I fucking knew it was you..." Derieri says and darkness grows on her left arm as she gets ready to punch
"Sorry Derieri" Ayano's hand is covered in black and she punches Derieri with enough force to send her into Monspeet
Derieri looks at Ayano "Why are you protecting that bitch!? Who cost you so much!" She stands up "If you're too afraid to do something about it! I'll kill her for you MYSELF!"
Derieri rushes at Elizabeth with demon claws, Ayano quickly pushes Elizabeth into Zaratras, Derieri's claws slice into Ayano's stomach and she's sent flying back.
"Lady Ayano!"
Ayano feels arms catch her and she coughs up blood.
"Well, well, well... I finally wake up from my beauty sleep and this is what I get... Everything around us has gone to total shit. I don't even wanna know what that dumb pig swallowed this time" she hears a familiar voice say "Ayano.. open your eyes"
Ayano opens her eyes to see Meliodas holding her in his arms "M-Meli"
"It's alright dear" Meliodas puts his hand over her wound and it begins to heal "I'm here now"
"Meliodas" Ayano cries and hugs him
"there there" Meliodas rubs her head "I'm back"
Ayano grabs his collar and kisses him, he gladly kisses her back before placing his forehead against hers.
"You dummy" Ayano says as a tear goes down her cheek "don't leave me again"
Meliodas smiles "I won't"