(A/N)
I just want to thank that guest that asked me to update this. I've been forgetting to work on chapters, and uncertain about it. The reminder and knowing that people want to read it gave me a push. You guys would probably have had to wait a good bit longer for this chapter, had I not been asked to update. Thanks! (Oh, and I added a picture that I drew for the story. It's of Zinnia and Zephyr when they were younger.)
"You have a Sacred Treasure?!" Howzer exclaimed in surprise as I lifted Dyrnwyn slightly higher into the air.
"If that's what you want to call it, then yes." Not caring about Howzer, I turned my attention to Marmas. I could feel rage seething through my blood - rage at the fact that anyone would stop someone from saving people, that anyone would hurt one of my friends. But under that rage swelled worry and fear. Even if I had a spirit spear, I was nowhere near as strong as a member of the Seven Deadly Sins. And if these people had the strength to fight the Sins, did I have the strength to fight them?
Pushing my worries down, I flicked my fingers, causing my spear to zoom towards the Holy Knight. Chink! The blade bounced off of his full-body armor, only leaving behind a miniscule scratch to show my efforts.
Gee, what a great idea that was! I scolded myself, thoughts dripping with sarcasm. Throw the spear at someone covered in plate mail - and without aiming. That's sure to do something! It'll definitely be able to get through the armor!
Of course, the poorly-executed attack only made Marmas annoyed. Or perhaps angry as well? It could be hard to tell someone's emotions when you couldn't see their face.
"I was gonna let ya go," the knight murmured angrily, lifting the instruments that he held. "But now I ain't feelin' so generous."
Feeling my fear return in a wave, I did the first thing that came to mind. Flicking my wrist in a circular motion, I chanted, "Dyrnwyn Fourth Form: Increase!"
The spear shattered into around fifty smaller blades, each resembling the crescents that had adorned the spear. With another motion from me, they were swiftly sent flying around the Holy Knight. Within a second, his armor was covered in scratches and chips, but no damage had been done to the man himself.
I hadn't really noticed what Marmas had been doing through the flurry of blades I had sent at him, but it was soon made obvious to me. Within the blink of an eye, I was on the ground. I couldn't even lift my head, I felt so heavy. Judging by the clanking sound coming from the Holy Knight's direction, I'd guess that Dyrnwyn's increased form had followed me in my fall.
"Gravity X10!" he repeated his words from earlier. "You'll haveta be a lot stronger than that if ya wanna stand a chance against us Holy Knights!" Then his eyes squinted as he laughed out loud.
From my place pressed against the ground, the only thing I could see was Howzer, along with the sky behind him. His expression looked torn, and he took half a step towards me. He looked back towards Marmas. "She's just a girl…"
"A fairy girl!" the bug-armored man practically spat the words. "Could be older than the both of us combined, all we know. And she's sided with the Seven Deadly Sins, at that. Ya saw what she tried to do."
Blocking out the conversation, I focused on my fallen weapon. I put all my strength into lifting my hand a hair's breadth off the ground, and flicked my wrist in a miniscule motion. I managed to breath the words, "Dyrnwyn Second Form: Guardian."
I felt the magic react, and knew that the once-cloak would now be in the form of a giant green hawk - about the size of a small human. Of course, that wasn't my only indicator. There was a gasp from both Holy Knights, and I could see Howzer jump back, grasping the lance at his side. Marmas must have dropped his increased gravity out of surprise, as I could now lift my body from its cramped spot on the ground.
Jumping up, I sent Dyrnwyn after Marmas again - but now in its hawk form, it clawed and pecked at him, aiming for the eye-holes and armor joints.
He backed away, attempting to make use of his weapons again, but Dyrnwyn's large form and swift attacks kept him from completing the needed movements. "What'cha waitin' for?!" he called to Howzer. "Help me! Get her! Do somethin'!"
Howzer, whose body had been frozen in indecision, finally made his move. He held out his lance, pointing it directly at me. "Rising Tornado!"
The air around me started swirling, swiftly becoming a tornado around my body. I tried to call Dyrnwyn back to me in order to help me get out of the wind, but the force of Howzer's attack was too strong. The wind caught my wings, flinging me into the sky. I couldn't even stop my uncontrolled flight with my fairy magic. The only thing that I could do was make sure that my Dyrnwyn came with me as I flew over the town. I couldn't help but scream as buildings flashed underneath me in a blur.
Just as I felt the giant, soft wings of Dyrnwyn's Guardian form wrap around my body, I crashed into the ground. I was very glad for the thick fabric enfolding me, as I felt the roughness of sharp stones and debris pass underneath me as I slid across the ground. After what felt like eternity, I felt myself slowing down, and eventually, I came to a complete stop.
"Is it… is it over?" I murmured as I unwrapped myself from my cloak, which had come out of its Guardian form sometime during my skid across the rough terrain. I had landed on my back, so I only had to sit up in order to look around.
Around me, grasses swayed. A little ways to my left was a low stone wall, and in the distance, far ahead of me was the town of Vaizel. From my position, I didn't see any other buildings around me. Howzer's attack had blown me right out of town.
"No!" The shout was Elizabeth's and it came from behind me and to my left, on the other side of the wall.
When I looked in that direction, turning further than I had before, I noticed a small stone building that matched the wall. I could see a familiar form looming on the other side of the wall, this side of the building. Is that Griamore - that Holy Knight from Byron? Luckily, he wasn't facing towards me, and was instead intensely focused on something right in front of him. If that's where Elizabeth's voice came from, then…
Floating only about an inch above the ground so as to not make any noise, I snuck towards the stone wall. When I reached the it and peaked out over the edge, I wasn't very surprised by what I saw.
In order of closest to farthest from me, there stood, the Holy Knight Griamore, Princess Veronica, Meliodas, Elizabeth, and Hawk. Meliodas was in between the two princesses, defending Elizabeth while at the same time pushing Veronica away, into the arms of Griamore, who worriedly exclaimed her name when he caught her.
"Meliodas-sama!" Elizabeth cheered, tears in her eyes.
"Our long awaited hero! At last!" Hawk put in. "This is what happens when Meliodas is back in action!"
This was when the captain of the Sins, who looked severely battered, widened his stance in front of Elizabeth, holding his arms out to his sides in a defensive posture. His broken sword was gripped tightly in one hand. I also noticed that, strangely enough, he was wearing the crystal necklace that Veronica had given Elizabeth when we were captured. "I'm going to protect Elizabeth, even if it costs me my life!"
The elder princess swiped her hand out to her side, bringing it back up into a fist that she held above her chest. "Y-you don't fool me! You're a monster! My little sister's being treated like a wanted criminal because she's with you guys! Give me back Ellie!"
Meliodas was determined. "I swear… I will protect your little sister! Trust me."
Elizabeth, while Meliodas said this, pressed into his back, blushing.
Veronica paused, clenching her teeth, before speaking again. "Hendrickson was right. It seems you really have brainwashed Ellie."
Right then, I noticed Meliodas' gaze flick over to me, just for a heartbeat. He saw me! Well, it wasn't like it was him I was hiding from… I was just lucky it was them facing my direction and Veronica and Griamore facing the other.
Veronica smiled a little bit before opening her mouth again. But what she said wasn't normal words, but some kind of chant. "Rosco Basla… Melcito."
Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light, and the crystal that hung around Meliodas' neck began to glow. It looked almost like it was trying to pull the Dragon Sin into it - which I soon realized it was, as I could feel myself being pulled too.
There was just enough time for me to pronounce the sound, "Wha-?" before I was gone.