(A/N)

Sorry for the late chapter again. I had finals for my summer semester at college going on, and had to write a research paper, and when I finally finished that, I got hurt pretty badly, so I lost my motivation to write. But I'm back! And I finished a chapter! I just want to say that I really love you guys and whenever I see that someone has favorited, followed, or reviewed this story, it makes me super happy. And I keep track of how many people read this each day to see if it's gaining or losing readers, and I'm happy to say that for the past few months it has been gradually rising and that's awesome!

Thank you guys so much for liking my story, and I hope you enjoy this chapter and bonus story!

"Welcome back to Liones."

Elizabeth just squeaked in surprise when the masked woman spoke from behind her. "Y… you're… You brought me here!"

But where is here? I was attempting to be cool and collected as I looked around the small stone cell, always keeping the woman in sight, but I couldn't help but worry. I didn't even have Dyrnwyn, as I had left it in my room when I came down to show off my dress. I had never been in Liones before, and this certainly wasn't the best first impression.

"Hmmm… Why are there two of you?" The woman seemed surprised - not that I could see her face to tell. "No matter. One of you is bound to be the real one."

But Elizabeth wasn't listening to her. "Bring me back to Meliodas-sama - Ah!" She had jumped towards our captor, but the woman disappeared in a blink, leaving the princess staggering forward. She looked around the room, uncertain. "Is this really... Liones?"

"Probably," I told her simply, still busy studying our surroundings. So as to not waste energy, I transformed back into my fairy form.

Suddenly, a deafening gurgling noise erupted in the tiny space, causing Elizabeth to scream and me to step back against a wall. But it was only Hawk, who appeared to be under a lot of stress.

"Wait… Hawk-chan?! You came with?!" Elizabeth seemed even more surprised than me. I mean, that mage seemed surprised that I was here. She had probably only meant to grab Elizabeth, and ended up grabbing me as well because I was near her. It only made sense that Hawk would have come too. If only it had been someone more useful…

If it had been almost any of the guys - I wasn't certain about Gowther - they could have easily knocked down the door in some way or other. Zephyr could have simply sent us out of the room, though he couldn't get us back to the Boar's Hat since he wouldn't have known what direction to go. Then again, Elizabeth probably wouldn't have gone with that, with what happened the last time we attempted it…

During my inner musings, Hawk had smashed down the door, run off, and returned. I didn't want to think about the noises I heard while he was gone. I was just surprised that he was actually able to take down the solid metal door. Did they use cheap doors here, or was the pig actually stronger than I thought?

In a moment, we exited the room and were shuffling down a dimly lit corridor when the door at the end of the hall ahead of us slowly creaked open, illuminating the passageway. "What was that noise just now…?" A yawning, chainmail-clad man cast a shadow across the floor as he poked his head through the crack.

"A guard!" Elizabeth whispered. "We've got to hide…"

"Don't we have to do something about him, though? This looks like the only way out," I hurriedly questioned under my breath. Even without Dyrnwyn, maybe I could do something; he was just a normal guard, after all…

"Rolling Ham Attack!" I cringed away from the loud noise as Hawk announced his attack. He cartwheeled into the man, easily toppling him and knocking him out. Hawk stood proudly over his work before looking back to us. "There, now let's go!"

All that Elizabeth could managed to say to this spectacle was "R… Right!"

"Good job, Hawk-chan!" I smiled slightly as I congratulated him. "I wasn't sure what we were going to do for a moment there."

Hawk gave a smile in return. "Thanks! Now, it looks like we're in the dungeons, so let's head above ground!"

"...The dungeons…?" Elizabeth paused, looking back the way we had come. She hesitated only a moment before running back through the door and down the hallway.

"Hey! What're you doing, Elizabeth-chan?!" Hawk gave chase, the clicking of his hooves echoing after him.

"Elizabeth?" I tried to call after her, but I could hear that she was calling someone's name, too.

"Margaret-nee-sama?! Father… Where are you?!"

Margaret? I wondered. I think that was the name of the first princess… I should probably keep track of those. Instead of following after the princess, I remained where I was. This appeared to be the only exit, and who knew when someone might come or the unconscious guard might wake up. As I heard the quiet response to Elizabeth's cries from an unknown voice, I sat down on a small stool, watching the door intently.

Within a moment of my sitting down, though, I heard a scream coming from Elizabeth's direction, followed by a voice I had only come to know recently: the sorceress who had brought us here. I sprang up from my seat, flying down the hallway, only to find it empty. There was a door that was open that I believed hadn't been before, but no one was there - not even Margaret.

Oh no!Knowing the she and Hawk had most probably been taken far away from here, I knew that I couldn't just sit around. I had to get out of here myself. And with the increasingly loud rumbles and shouts that I could make out from outside, I had no idea what I was going to find out there.

Surprisingly, it wasn't all too hard to escape. With all the commotion going on, the knights that were supposed to guard the dungeon were busy running to and fro in their attempts to follow orders. I just had to walk confidently through the halls, attempt to hide my wings as best as possible, and avoid being run into. It's actually pretty surprising what you can get away with if you pretend that you're supposed to be there. I was getting pretty nervous within a few seconds of leaving the dungeon, but I continued to pretend that nothing was wrong, and I made it outside without anyone stopping me.

Immediately upon exiting the castle, I sprinted away, and then I sped up by flying. I only allowed myself to breathe when I felt that I was a safe distance away, and houses loomed above me on all sides.

I gasped for breath. "Gahhh… Never again… I'm tired… of being… kidnapped… I feel bad for… Elizabeth… for everyone wanting… to go after her…" When I had finally regained my bearings, I allowed myself to take in my surroundings. The sounds of fighting surrounded me: swords clashing, earth rumbling, lightning crashing, wind roaring. It was nearly deafening when I paid attention to it, so I tried not to focus on the noise.

While most of the houses around me were abandoned, there were still people running, attempting to evacuate from the war-strewn city. Among the people's fear-filled words, I caught one phrase that they all seemed to have in common: "The Seven Deadly Sins."

The Sins are the ones attacking the city? I guess that makes since, seeing as how Elizabeth was taken. My mind immediately went to the one place that it always did in these kinds of situations. I hope that Zephyr is safe.

As though my thoughts had summoned the fox shade, I felt the slight shiver of him entering me shadow. Zinnia! You're safe! His words, usually so calm and collected, sounded relieved. We were all so worried about you. Where's Elizabeth-san?

"She… she and Hawk were taken by the sorceress that kidnapped us. It was done while I wasn't looking. I had to escape alone…" I hung my head in shame. "I should've kept a closer eye on her…"

It can't be helped. You wouldn't have been able to do much without this, anyway. He swiftly slid out of my shadow, but I was surprised to find that he had Dyrnwyn with him. He had been trying to wear it like the cloak it was, but it swallowed him so that all I could see was his dark snout protruding from the fabric. Were we not in such a serious situation, I would have laughed at the sight. None of the crowd seemed to be paying us any attention in the commotion, so I wasn't worried about anyone having seen Zephyr suddenly appearing.

"You brought Dyrnwyn, thank you!" I smiled as I took the cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders. "Though I almost wish you had stayed behind; I don't want you to get hurt."

I wish the same for you, but I already stated that I am tired of being left behind. We're both here now, so what next? He lifted his snout in the air and started sniffing, as though trying to get a better handle on the situation around us by scent alone.

"I guess that we look for the nearest fight, and see if we can help this time."

(Bonus 4: To What Lengths)

(~2500 Years Ago)

Not far outside of a good-sized town, Zinnia and Zephyranthes were relaxing in the woods. The chill of winter swept through the air, making the day crisp and cold. The leafless trees reached skeletal fingers into the air, swaying gently to and fro in the slight breeze.

Normally on a day like this, Zinnia would have her cloak wrapped tightly around her shoulders to keep the chill out, but on this gray afternoon, she had it wadded up in her lap instead. Only the smallest bits of wings protruded from her back. She had finally started to sprout her wings, and she and Zephyr were admiring them.

"They're almost completely clear…" the fairy fretted. "What if they never gain any color? Would that be a bad thing? Onii-chan's were super colorful…" She nervously tucked some hair behind her ear.

I'm sure they'll be fine. Zephyr sniffed the wings and gave a tiny smile. I'm certain that he'd be proud, even if they don't have a single speck of color. In fact, I heard that your mother's wings were pure white, and that didn't change how anyone felt about her.

"But… That's not the same as no color…" She paused, thinking, before perking up slightly. "But, at least I'm actually growing wings. I had started to worry that I might not, since I'm only half… And who knows? Maybe once they're bigger, there'll be colors on them."

The fox shade nodded. I never doubted that you would get wings.

"I wish I could show everyone back in the Fairy King's Forest." Suddenly, Zinnia's eyes darkened. "Kay, too, wanted to see my wings… He would've… been so excited…" She drooped, slowly descending from where she had been floating, until she was resting on fallen leaves on the forest floor. "I wish he could be here to see this…" Here gaze was growing darker and darker.

Z-Zinnia, Zephyr stuttered, fearing what might happen if he allowed her to go on. I'm certain that he's watching now. And he wouldn't want you to be upset about him! He didn't dare mention the fact that, had they been able to save the human boy, he wouldn't even be alive right now anyway. It had been far too long ago, and he would have passed of old age by now.

But the fox's words didn't seem to help. Darkness began to edge her face and arms, and her tiny wings turned pitch black. The green of her eyes was no longer visible, and they were the black of a demon's.

A twig snapped, ringing clearly through the quiet trees.

Zinnia immediately jumped to her feet, all signs of sorrow and darkness gone. "Who's there?"

No one answered. Instead, a scuffling noise sounded behind some nearby trees and shrubs. Zinnia floated a few feet into the air to see a young boy rushing away from the area, towards the nearby town. With it being so quiet, she could just barely make out the whispered words "...a demon!"

She drifted back to the ground, landing lightly beside her companion. "Did you hear that?"

Yeah. He shook his head grudgingly. It seems that no matter where we go, one of us is thought to be a demon.

"I mean, with me they aren't completely wrong…"

We need to stop him from telling people. Zephyr took a step toward the town, but Zinnia put a hand on his back to stop him.

"No, we'll just leave. It'll be fine."

But what if they send people searching for you?

She shook her head. "Do you really think that they'll believe the words of a child? We'll stay the night here and leave in the morning."

Zephyr sighed, but said no more. He didn't even bother telling her that the boy who had seen them wasn't a child by human standards, but a young adult. The fox had been able to gather that from what he had glimpsed through the brush.

That evening, Zephyr couldn't sit still. Zinnia trusted that no one would come for them, but Zephyr knew better. He knew that it was only a matter of time until they would hear the approach of countless humans through the trees. That was how humans were, after all. And, even if they ended up getting away unscathed, word of a demon in the area would spread, and people would become suspicious of a lone, unknown traveler. But no matter what he said, Zephyr knew, Zinnia had made up her mind and wouldn't leave until the morning.

So, while his fairy companion began to settle down for the night, snuggling deep into her cloak, Zephyr mentally prepared himself for what he knew he had to do.

Clouds scudded across the moon, casting long shadows across the land. The forest was so dark that it was nearly impossible to see, and the lack of warming sunlight caused the freezing breeze to bite right through Zephyr's thick fur. Luckily, the shadows were to the fox's advantage, and soon he wouldn't feel the cold.

I'll be back soon, he murmured the words to Zinnia's sleeping form as he extracted himself from her warm grip. He instantly felt cold where her body had been, but shook himself, fluffing out the fur. Zephyr took one last look at Zinnia, who now curled into an even tighter ball at the cold, before jumping into the nearest shadow.

The cold fell away, along with almost all color. Zephyr could sense the landscape open up all around him through the shadows. He could still see outside of the darkness, and it was almost like there was a dim light source everywhere he looked, allowing him to easily see in the pitch black forest. Though the area around the fox himself was darker than even the forest. If someone else were in the shadows with him and tried to look at him now, all they would see would be his pure white eyes. Were they to try to look at him from outside the shadows, they might notice that one shadow was a fraction of a shade darker than the others, but people didn't generally notice that.

Taking a deep breath at the comforting feeling of the shadows closing in around him, Zephyr began to silently make his way towards the town. To him it felt like simply walking, but he knew that in reality he was moving from shadow to shadow - a job made easier by the dark night.

He followed the lingering scent of the human boy through the woods, but it became muddled as soon as he reached the smooth cobblestone streets of the town. Hundreds of different scents confused Zephyr's powerful nose, making it impossible to pick out the one he was after.

"I'm telling you, it was a demon!"

"Hush!"

Zephyr pricked his ears in time to hear someone in a nearby house shut a window. He searched for the source of the noise, and could just barely make out the sound of voices when he passed in front of a house that still had candles burning inside. Slipping inside through the shadow under the door, Zephyr listened in.

"Demons are long gone; they have been for five hundred years. Now don't let me hear this topic again." A middle aged woman in a nightgown was saying to a dark haired boy of about seventeen. The boy certainly smelled like the one Zephyr had been tracking. He was a twig of a boy, and had long, lanky limbs.

"Why don't you believe me, mother? Father does!" the boy was saying. "He said that we could gather up some of the men and hunt it down tonight."

Zephyr's blood ran cold. Of course, he knew this was a possible outcome. He's already told his mother and father… I cannot let this rumour spread farther.

"Did I not raise you right when you were a child? If it really was a demon you saw, you wouldn't have returned." She shook her head. "Youth nowadays…"

"I don't care what you think! Father and I will keep the town safe! You just stay here."

Just then, a burly man stepped out of a back room brandishing a rusted sword. "It's not the mightiest blade, but it'll have to do."

"Father, help me make Mother see reason." The boy stood up from the armchair he had been sitting in.

But the broad man just smiled and shook his head. "Leave your mother out of this, boy. Let her rest while the men do the work."

The woman just harrumphed, but didn't seem to want to argue with her husband.

The boy smiled. "So we're really going?"

"Of course! We just need to stop by the blacksmith first to pick you up a sword. I'm sure that he'll let you borrow one for this. Hell! We might even convince him to come with us." The man started walking toward the door, quickly followed by the boy.

Zephyr felt bad. Even though they wanted to go hunt Zinnia down on account of being a demon, they still seemed like nice enough people. But he knew where his loyalties lie. This is my only chance.

He leapt out of the shadows at the closest human, claws and fangs bared. His teeth sank into the back of the boy's neck, instantly snapping the bone and crushing his windpipe. The boy fell to the ground, dead. He hadn't even had time to feel the pain. The next targets, now aware of the fox's presence, wouldn't have that mercy. Zephyr dove back into the shadows, hiding from the humans' sight.

"What-" The woman started to speak, but Zephyr bolted out of her own shadow, knocking her to the floor. She barely got out a short scream before she, too, was dead. The fox immediately went back into his realm.

By now, though, the man had turned around, aware that he was being hunted. Horror and hate filled his eyes, but he held his sword with purpose. "Is that you, demon? Come to take me and mine? Well come at me! Come!"

Zephyr could tell that it hadn't fully set in with him that his wife and son were dead. Perhaps if it had, he would just allow himself to be killed. Or perhaps Zephyr was wrong, and the man just knew that he needed revenge for his loved ones.

Aiming as precisely as he could, Zephyr jumped out of the shadows once again. He hit his mark, gouging his claws into the man's throat - but not before the man could score his sword down Zephyr's side.

The man's death was a messy one. He fell to the floor, blood gurgling at his throat, and tried to crawl towards his son. He only just managed to grasp the boy's cooling hand before the light left his eyes.

Zephyr hissed in pain, but he surveyed the room with a dark satisfaction. All witnesses were gone. Zinnia was safe.

"Momma? Daddy?" Dread filled Zephyr as he heard the sound of a back door creaking open followed by a child's voice. "Did Onii-san get tha monster?"

When the little boy had fully opened the door, his eyes landed on the bodies of his family, then went to Zephyr. Their eyes met. He couldn't have been older than four or five.

Zephyr swallowed. I'm so sorry…

Screams and shouts echoed behind him through the woods as Zephyr stood at a creek, attempting to wash the iron tang of blood from his mouth. He had already gotten most of it from his paws, and was determined to get as much of it off of him as possible before returning to Zinnia.

He had been unable to use the shadows to return, as the wound on his side bit into him deeply. It would be excruciating to attempt that. Due to that, though, he had had to break out of one of the house's windows, since he was unable to open doors. The noise, not to mention the earlier shouts and the cut-off scream, had drawn the attention of the neighbors. Now it seemed that the whole town knew that the family had been murdered. But they didn't know about the demon, and that was all Zephyr cared about.

Zephyr rolled in the water one last time in an attempt to clean his wound before standing up, soaking wet, and heading back towards Zinnia. Luckily, it appeared that the townsfolk hadn't followed him into the woods yet. He had done his best to wipe off his paws in the house so as to not leave tracks, but Zephyr knew that it was only a matter of time before they saw whatever he had missed. Hopefully, they wouldn't be able to track him past this creek.

It took awhile, and Zephyr's side was in pain the whole way, but eventually the fox came in sight of the bit of forest where he had left Zinnia sleeping. Only, she wasn't asleep anymore.

"What's going on?" She asked, worriedly flying right up to him as he collapsed on his side. "Why are you wounded?" When she touched her hand to his side, she screwed up her face slightly. "And sopping wet?"

I did what had to be done, he panted. We should probably get going. They could find my trail any minute. He pushed himself back up and started limping in the same direction he had been going. Zinnia followed.

The fairy looked confused for a moment at his words, then horrified realization dawned on her. "Zephyr, you didn't?!" When he didn't respond, she went on. "Did you kill him?! You killed that boy?! W-why? How could you…"

You have no idea the lengths I would go to in order to keep you safe, Zephyr murmured darkly. As he said this, he found that he could still taste the innocent little boy's blood, lingering even after he had washed his mouth.