I do not own Seven Deadly Sins or any of their characters.
Training
Oswald groaned, as his eyes opened slowly. His entire body hurt still, and he got the distinct impression he wasn't healed.
"Easy," Jericho said from behind him. "You're still hurt."
"How bad?" Oswald said.
"Merlin said that we'll have to have the druids heal you when we get there," Jericho said.
"Druids!?" Oswald gasped swearing. "No! I can't! I can't go there!"
"Well you don't have a choice!" Jericho said. "We're almost there already!"
"No you don't understand, they worship the Goddess Race, who hate me!" Oswald said.
"Well it's your own damn fault for getting hurt!" Jericho said. "Seriously you idiot! You scared the shit out of me! How am I supposed to make you take responsibility if you go and die on me?"
"Jericho..." Oswald trailed off and sighed. "I doubt I can walk on my own."
"I'll carry you," Jericho said. "Just don't get any funny ideas."
"I'm not Meliodas," Oswald said. "I'm not going to be groping you."
Jericho didn't respond so Oswald fell silent, extending his senses, finding the Ten Commandments before letting them relax.
"Has anything happened with the Commandments while I was out?" Oswald asked.
"When they sensed us moving, one of them sent this massive flaming bird at us, but Hawk's Mom ate the thing," Jericho said. "Other than that, no. Nothing."
Oswald nodded. Then maybe she believed Galland that he was dead. Or she didn't think it was him.
"We're here," Merlin announced, stepping into the room. I'll teleport you outside, but then he's all yours."
Jericho nodded and Oswald found himself lying on the ground. Jericho knelt down, picking him up onto her back as carefully as she could before beginning to walk, following Meliodas and Elizabeth, who had been the first one off.
"So Merlin, what's the big plan here?" Oswald asked.
"We're going to get the captain's lost power back while we're here, and then we're going to train," Merlin said. "Once you're healed, you'll train too. Then, we'll be trying to find the Lion Sin of Pride, Escanor."
Oswald nodded. "And what happens when the leaders of the Druids kill me?" Oswald said.
"We won't let them," Merlin said.
"You don't have that kind of power, or else we wouldn't be here," Oswald said.
"You'll be fine," Merlin said. "Quit worrying so much."
Ahead of them, Elizabeth passed through a stone arch and vanished. Meliodas followed after her, and a few more moments later, the others had all passed through. Before them was a bowl of sorts made of a hill all the way around the lake they were suddenly standing before. A stone walkway extended out into the lake and a large, extremely powerfully built man with a walking stick resting on the ground in front of him stood between a pair of young girls, one wearing a red dress with yellow flowers along the border and a detached sleeve on her left arm, with the same design, then golden blonde hair in a braid down her back. The other girl, her sister, had brown hair in a braid, then a white dress with pink flowers as a border, and the sleeve on her right arm. She was glaring at Elizabeth as they all made their way over. Hawk initially confused the man in the middle, who claimed to be fifteen, for the leader, when in fact, the two girls, Jenna and Zaneri, were the leaders. Elizabeth tried to introduce herself to Zaneri, only for Zaneri to look away. However, in doing so, her gaze fell on Oswald instead.
"You!" she snarled, Jenna's pleasant smile melting away for the same disgusted, murderous look Zaneri was wearing, the man in between them, Theo, bristling and raising his stick in response.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jenna demanded.
"We brought him here to be healed," Meliodas said. "You can do that, right?"
"That thing doesn't deserve to be healed!" Zaneri spat. "Let it die!"
"We need Oswald to fight the Ten Commandments," Meliodas said. "He's really strong. Besides, it was never his fault."
"That doesn't matter," Jenna said. "We're not healing him!"
"But, I thought the Druids worship the Goddess Race," Jericho said. "Well, he's a member of the Goddess Race and he's hurt! Shouldn't you be happy to help him?"
"He will never be counted among the members of the Goddess Race!" Zaneri snapped.
"Please, Zaneri," Meliodas said. "We need him."
Zaneri was silent for a long while before sighing heavily. "Bring him here."
Jericho walked over instantly, beginning to gently set Oswald down, only for Zaneri to kick him off of Jericho's back, causing him to flop down on his broken back, crying out in agony. Then, she nodded to Theo, who used his stick to flip him over before she knelt, green light shining from her hands as she began to heal him. After a handful of seconds, she stood, grimacing and dipping her hands into the water, scrubbing them. Oswald stood, pain-free, and sighed.
"Thank you, Zaneri," Oswald said.
"Don't thank me," Zaneri said. "Just get out."
"He needs to train too," Meliodas said.
Zaneri growled in annoyance before sighing, looking to Jenna.
"You deal with Meliodas and Elizabeth," Jenna sighed. "I'll deal with the training."
Zaneri nodded and turned, walking away with Meliodas and Elizabeth following her. Ahead of them was a pair of stone spikes forming a sort of cave, and then a ribbed stone spire ending in a spike. Zaneri lead the pair into the tower while Jenna walked over to a crack in the stone cave, then turned back to them.
"This is the Cave of Training," Jenna said. "Here, you will hone your skills until you're strong enough to face the Ten Commandments. Or, at least, that's the hope."
"I don't believe it," Oswald said, staring past Jenna. "No, I suppose this shouldn't be that surprising."
"Who..." Diane fell silent as they watched Hendrickson walk out of the cave, his right shoulder burned, wearing only a pair of pants and holding a stick.
"Hendrickson!" King snarled, forming Chastiefol into a swarm of blades, only for Hendrickson to collapse.
Closer to the cave than them, there was a pile of something burned, and when Hawk ran over to investigate it, he reported that it was Griamore, Howzer, and Gilthunder. Jenna began to heal them, and finished in a matter of moments, the three waking.
"Oh, it's all of you," Gilthunder said. "When did you get to Istar?"
"A few minutes ago," Oswald said. "What'd you fight?"
"A clay dragon," Gilthunder said.
"Yup, that'll do it," Oswald nodded. "Hendrickson, are you still in possession of any Demonic Power?"
"No," Hendrickson said. "I was completely purged of it by a trap on the Coffin of Eternal Darkness when I opened it. And for the record, I apologize for that."
"You don't get to apologize yet," Oswald said. "Not until you see that you've unleashed." He pulled his sword off of his back, along with his sack, and set them aside, dropping his shirt and cuirass down beside them a moment later, stretching his wings for a moment before sighing and looking to Jenna. "Shall we get this show on the road?"
"Yes," Jenna said. "Everyone take off everything you've got on you."
Instantly, Gowther was completely naked.
"You can keep your underwear and pants on!" Jenna snapped. "And the girls can keep their shirts on."
"Damn," Oswald said. "You were close Arthur. You almost got to see Merlin topless."
Arthur's face turned crimson and he began to vehemently deny having wanted to in the first place, all the while Merlin stood behind him, smirking amusedly. Jenna passed out ash clubs and Oswald turned, walking into the cave in silence, everyone else following, even Hawk and King's pet black hound Oslo. Oswald walked until the would around him faded into darkness, then continued walking until a light appeared in front of him. A few moments later, he entered a cave, alone, filled with floating Goddess Amber crystals.
"So, I just pick one and fight whatever comes out, right?" Oswald asked, looking around. "I notice I'm completely alone for this. So, I'd imagine I got saddled with all of the hardest creatures as well. Good. Hopefully something in here is strong enough to kill me." He cracked his knuckles. "Well, let's get started shall we?"
He reached out, grasping a crystal and it shattered, breaking apart. Instantly, darkness swarmed out of the shards, spiraling together in the center of the cave, blowing the rest of the crystals away as a Red Demon formed. Oswald stared at it, charging his stick with his light magic.
"I see," Oswald said. "So you really do want me dead."
Then, he was off. His stick began to shine as he neared the demon, but it looked down at him and he hurled himself tot he side, an energy blast flashing out of his eye, taking his right wing off. He rolled and his left hand snapped up as he continued to run, a Heaven's Shield forming in front of him in time to block the Red Demon's Purgatory Flames. Then, Oswald jumped, clearing the flames and flipping, swiping downward at the demon as he fell. The stick crashed into the demon and hurled it backward, but failed to cut into it. Then, before the dust had even settled, a second energy blast flashed out, taking off Oswald's left arm an wing both. He growled in annoyance, streaking forward and focusing his light magic along only the front edge of his stick. He shot forward again, forming a Heaven's Shield in front of himself, only for two energy blasts to punch through it, and his torso, before Purgatory Flames exploded through the dust, clearing it and exploding into his shield, shattering it. Oswald jumped, flipping over the flames before falling at the demon again. Its hand flashed up, tearing several large gashes in his abdomen before an energy blast hit his stick, smashing it. Oswald curled his hand into a fist, focusing his magic to his fist instead, and smashed it into the top of the demon's head, smashing it into the ground. The magic shifted to his foot and he spun, kicking the demon backward into the wall, only for his fist to explode into the underside of its chin a moment later, making its head snap backward. Then, as he was in the aid, he twisted, spinning around and focusing him magic. A large axe blade of shining white light formed on the front of his shin before connecting with the demon's neck, its head spinning into the air.
He landed on his feet, blood splattering across the ground, before the head landed in front of him. he swayed on his feet before staggering to his fallen arm and picking it up, walking out of the cave. He collapsed as soon as he was out and several of the others shouted in surprise and fear. However, after several seconds, warmth began to spread through his body, He felt his wounds sealing, and his arm being reattached. Then, it was over. He was still exhausted, but he could tell he was healed, minus needing to generate new wings.
"You survived," Jenna's voice said. "I'm actually impressed."
"You put me against a Red Demon," Oswald said, forcing himself to a sitting position. "Well played. That almost beat me. He was a bit free with his eye lasers."
"And your shield was too weak to block it," Jenna said. "You're a disgrace."
"Why don't you try telling me something I haven't heard since the day I was born?" Oswald asked.
"Alright," Jenna said. "You're powerful enough to crush Red Demons with ease, even bare handed. But you hold back. Why?"
Oswald stared at the ground. "I don't know."
"Yes you do," Jenna said. "But I'll play along and tell you. Shame. You're ashamed of your own existence, which holds you back, and you're afraid that you're not strong enough if you go all out, so you don't put in full effort, that way you have an excuse for losing. Basically, you're a coward."
"That's a little harsh, isn't it?" Gilthunder asked.
"She's right," Oswald said. "I am a coward."
"No, you're our friend," Diane said. "And you're definitely not a coward. You've risked your life for people more times than I can count."
"No to help them," Oswald said. "I did it because I want to die. I just also want to protect others."
"That doesn't matter," Jericho said. "You still have the courage to continue living so that you can protect others. And you've saved so many people so much pain. So what if you're a mistake. You're still a person, and you still deserve a chance to live."
Oswald sighed, staring at the ground.
"She's right you know," Meliodas said. "No one can tell you whether or not you deserve to live. If you were never meant to exist, you wouldn't exist."
Oswald sighed and nodded. "I guess you're right."
"Of course I am," Meliodas said. "So, we should give this training thing a try."
"Yeah," Oswald nodded. "I'm ready to go again."
"Alright," Jenna said. "Oswald, you'll be with Jericho this time. "Meliodas, you'll be with King."
They nodded and walked into the cave, darkness swallowing them before Oswald and Jericho walked out into the cavern with the Goddess Ambers again.
"Be ready," Oswald said. "The last time I was in here, I got a laser-happy Red Demon."
"Laser?" Jericho asked.
"They can fire lasers out of their eyes that are so fast you can barely see them before they hit," Oswald said. "And I'm willing to bet there are a few Grey Demons in here too."
"Should we really be doing this, then?" Jericho asked.
"If you're scared you can leave," Oswald said reaching out to a crystal. "Here we go."
"I'm ready," Jericho nodded.
Oswald placed his hand to the crystal and it shattered, darkness again surging out of it. Oswald leapt back, expecting a Red Demon to form. Instead, as the darkness finished swirling together, it settled, leaving a silhouette with a pair of wings with spikes running along the bottom of them, long claws, and glowing red eyes.
"What the hell is that?" Jericho asked.
"It's a Shade," Oswald said. "They're supposed to have been hunted to extinction."
"Why?" Jericho asked.
"You're about to see why," Oswald said, crouching and forming a Heaven's Shield beside his left arm, then focusing his magic to his stick, forming it an edge.
He sprinted forward, the Shade streaking forward and slashing at him, its claws screeching as they scraped across his shield. He spun, swiping at it, but it jumped back, avoiding the strike. Then, it lunged, a scorpion tail forming and stabbing at him. Oswald focused power into the shield and raised it, the tail bouncing off before he swung his arm downward, deflecting the Shade's left hand's claws. He swiped upward at the Shade, and it spun around his strike, slashing at his back, only for Jericho's stick to hit the top of its arm, knocking it downward so that its claws tore the outside of Oswald's pants but missed him. Oswald spun around and wrapped his left arm around Jericho just in time for his shield to block the Shade's other hand's claws before stepping around her and swiping at the Shade rapidly, forcing it back quickly. Finally, it spun around him, its tail slamming into his side and hurling him. Jericho began to use her stick to deflect his arms and tail rapidly and began backpedaling the entire time.
Oswald hurled his stick at the Shade and it spun, claws deflecting it just in time for Jericho to begin slamming her own stick into the Shade quickly, doing absolutely nothing. Finally, it backhanded her just as Oswald flipped over it, landing beside his stick and deflecting its tail with his shield. Before he could pick up his stick, however, the Shade charged, attacking him in a flurry of slashes and stabs, Oswald barely able to fend off its strikes with his shield Finally, the tail crashed into the shield and hurled him backward, only for a spike of ice to stab into the Shade's back. It shrieked, spinning to Jericho as another formed in front of her outstretched hand and fired. The Shade smashed this one, but before it could charge, Oswald stepped up behind it with his stick, focusing his energy into the stick and bringing it down hard, splitting the Shade across the back. It staggered forward and another ice spike impaled its head, killing it.
"You can use...ice?" Oswald asked, trying to catch his breath.
"I...guess so," Jericho said. "I've never been able to do that before."
Oswald chuckled. "I guess your actual magic power is finally showing itself."
Jericho stared at her hand a moment before nodding. "I guess so. And now you have to train me."
"And why's that?" Oswald asked.
"Because I saved your life!" Jericho snapped.
"So then we're even," Oswald said. "In which case, I'm still under no obligation to train you."
"You son of a-"
"Let's go, student," Oswald said, smirking back at her. "Unless you want to fight something alone."
Jericho blinked then ran over to him, the two of them walking out of the cave in silence. As they got outside, they stopped, staring at a Goddess Amber about the size of a bison, probably bigger. Inside of it, darkness swirled endlessly.
"You have no idea the pains I had to go through to get this sealed properly," Jenna said, raising her hand tot he floating crystal, which shattered immediately.
Had Oswald blinked, he would have missed the actual change. The power shot outward, expanding so rapidly that the entirety of the sky turned pitch black. His senses began to go haywire.
"It became night all of a sudden," Howzer said.
"No," Oswald said. "This is the full magnitude of Meliodas's power."
Jenna swung her stick downward and the darkness filling the sky shot downward, crashing down on Meliodas and flooding into his body. Then, it was over and light filled the sky again. Meliodas chuckled darkly.
"Finally," he hissed. "My power has been restored. How long I've dreamed of this."
"Meliodas?" Gilthunder asked worriedly.
"It sounds like he's gone evil!" Howzer said.
"Just kidding," Meliodas said cheerfully.
"What the hell!?" Howzer snapped. "You scared the shit out of me! Jeez, he hasn't changed a bit!"
"Are you stupid?" King asked, staring at Meliodas. "Do you really think...he's the same?"
"Hey Merlin, can you send me to where the Ten Commandments are?" Meliodas asked.
"Are you out of your mind!?" Gilthunder demanded. "Charging straight to where the enemy is!? You're suicidal!"
"It's possible," Meliodas said. "I just want to give them a greeting. It shouldn't take long. I'll just need about ten seconds. Can you do it?"
"I can," Merlin nodded. "Be careful not to get yourself killed, Meliodas."
"I won't," Meliodas said, then vanished.
Oswald closed his eyes, counting in his head as he sensed for Meliodas. He found him easily. And after a matter of seconds, Galland's dropped to nearly nothing. Then, a few seconds later, Oswald opened his eyes just in time for Meliodas to reappear.
"Just a greeting, huh?" Oswald asked.
"He interrupted," Meliodas shrugged. "Could you tell what was going on?"
"No, but I felt his power nearly disappear," Oswald said. "You should have removed one of our problems while you had the chance."
Meliodas shrugged. "There will be other opportunities."
"Except that they've scattered now," Oswald said.
"What!?" King gaped. "Scattered!?"
"Are you out of your mind!?" Jenna screamed. "They were all sitting quietly in one place! You've just kicked a hornet's nest and started a war!"
"No, this is good," Oswald said.
"How?" Hendrickson asked.
"Because now that they're separated, we don't have to fight all ten at once," Oswald said. "We can go at them two at a time. They're staying in pairs."
"That's a fair point," Merlin nodded. "Our chances are better this way."
"Before we fight any of them, however," Oswald continued, "you all need to know what we're up against, and who."
Meliodas watched him for a moment before nodding.
"What do you mean who?" Guila asked.
"The members of the Ten Commandments," Oswald said. "The current ones. You need to know who they are and what they can do."
"And you know this how?" King asked.
"Because I'm a lot older than you all understand," Oswald said. "I was there during the last battle."
"You're over three thousand years old?" they all gaped, minus Jenna, Zaneri, or Meliodas.
"Yeah," Oswald said. "Anyway, first, there's Zeldris, the leader. Read clothes, short sword, black hair, about Meliodas's age. His Commandment is Piety. If you turn your back to Zeldris, his commandment will take control of you and you will serve him. Next is Estarossa, Zeldris's older brother. Blue clothes. Silver hair. His Commandment is Love. Any who stand before Estarossa with hatred in their hearts will be left completely powerless and unable to harm anyone."
"How the hell do we beat that!?" Howzer interrupted.
"We'll deal with that when we get around to it," Oswald said. "He and Zeldris are both so powerful that they make Galland look like a Holy Knight Apprentice, so you won't be fighting him, Howzer."
Howzer swallowed hard.
"Obviously there's Galland, who you can't lie to without turning to stone," Oswald said. "After him is Melascula. Long pink hair. White leotard."
"Floats around on a cloud of darkness," Meliodas adds.
"Her Commandment is Faith," Oswald said. "Hers is a bit tricky. Any who show faithlessness before her have their eyes set ablaze."
"That's...lovely," Gilthunder sighed.
"What, so we have to be religious?" Howzer asked. "And we can't cheat?"
"No," Oswald said. "You can't doubt. Yourself, your comrades, your cause. You have to be one hundred percent confident in everything you do around her."
"Well that's easy," Howzer said.
"Do you believe Gilthunder could beat Meliodas in a fight right now?" Oswald asked.
"No," Howzer said.
"You just lost your eyes," Oswald said.
"I retract my statement," Howzer said.
"Who's next?" Diane asked.
"Next up is Monspeet," Oswald said. "He has a white cape and a thin mustache. His Commandment is Reticence. Those who try to speak hidden emotions of feelings in front of Monspeet have their voices blocked."
"What, so if you confess your love for someone in front of him you go mute?" King asked.
"Basically, but it doesn't have to be just a confession of love," Oswald said. "People hide all kinds of things. Doubt about someone. Hatred. Hobbies. Anything that isn't public knowledge. With Monspeet at all times..." he took a long slow breath, hands curling into fists, "...is Derieri. She's got long, messy orange hair, and the only thing she wears is darkness."
"Wait, she's naked?" Howzer asked.
"Completely," Meliodas nodded.
"Derieri is mine," Oswald growled, eyes staring at Meliodas, who stared back in silence.
"I can't promise-"
"She's mine," Oswald snarled. "I have a score to settle with her, and you're not going to get in the way of that. I don't ask for much, but I'm not asking for this. I'm telling you, Derieri is mine."
"What are her powers?" Merlin asked.
"Her main threat is called Combo Star," Oswald said. "Each successive strike she lands is stronger than the last. No one's ever made it past fifty and lived to tell about it. Her Commandment is called Purity, though I actually don't know what it does."
"It causes any who are truly pure of heart to switch alignment," Meliodas said. "Those who are pure good turn pure evil, and those who are pure evil turn pure good. It doesn't see much use."
"Doesn't sound it," Gilthunder said. "So, who are the last four?"
"Fraudrin," Meliodas said. "Currently, he's possessing Dreyfus. His true form is a big purple demon with spikes all over his body. His Commandment is Selflessness. If anyone harbors greed in their hearts, they will lose their memories and all sense of self. However, he's more of a stand-in commandment. He was swapped in last minute when the last one died."
"After him comes Greyroad," Oswald said. "A mass of darkness and creepy faces all over it. Commandment of Pacifism. Anyone who kills in Greyroad's presence will have their time stolen from them and rapidly age until they die. The last two are...more complicated."
"Why?" Diane asked.
"They weren't demons originally," Meliodas said. "They joined the Demon Clan during the last Holy War, one for power, and the other because he was betrayed."
"Who were they?" Guila asked.
"Drole and Gloxinia," Oswald said.
"WHAT!?" Diane and King both shouted.
"That's impossible!" King argued.
"He's right," Meliodas said. "Drole, the king of the Giant Clan, current holder of the Commandment Patience. And Gloxinia, first Fairy King, holder of the Commandment Repose. You'll know them when you see them."
"So, can we go now?" Jericho asked.
"Not yet," Oswald said. "I need to get stronger still."
"But you're still holding back," Jenna said. "And besides, you're beating Red Demons and Shades with a stick. You don't realize it, but you actually have gotten stronger."
"It's not enough," Oswald said. "I need to be on level with the Ten Commandments. Or else I can't settle things with Derieri."
Everyone was silent for a long moment.
"Fine," Jenna sighed. "Instead of training, let me give you some advice."
"What?" Oswald asked.
"Ditch the toothpick," Jenna said, pointing to his sword. "It's beautifully made, and it's about as durable as a Sacred Treasure, but if you want to get stronger, you'll need a real weapon."
"What do you suggest?" Oswald asked.
"Well," Jenna said thoughtfully, holding a hand to her chin. "Against demons, I heard about one weapon owned by the Celestials that would be perfect, or, well, probably."
"I'm not going anywhere near any Goddess Race or offshoot races if I can avoid it," Oswald said.
"Alright," Jenna nodded. "Then in that case, there's one other option. How's your archery?"
"Not as good as my sword work, why?" Oswald asked.
"There's a relic, a Sacred Treasure that was once wielded by a member of the Goddess Race," Jenna said.
"You can't really mean for him to wield that, can you?" Zaneri asked. "He's...him! He'd defile that holy relic."
"I don't think so," Jenna said. "He's not the monster everyone treats him as. I think he's actually quite noble."
"Big change from when I first got here," Oswald said. "Where is it?"
"Liones," Jenna said.
"Actually, I destroyed the Horn of Cernunnos," Meliodas said.
"Good," Oswald said.
"Not that one," Jenna said. "It's in the vaults, hidden away to keep it safe."
"Why didn't we know about this while we were still there?" Oswald asked.
"Because no one even remembers it's there," Jenna said. "Be forewarned. Being as you are, it may reject you, in which case, you'll die."
Oswald nodded. "I'll make do. I don't suppose there's any way to turn this sword into a sacred treasure?"
"No," Jenna said. "That sword's only going to hold you back."
Oswald nodded and sighed, looking toward the gate they had entered through. "Alright. So what's next?"
"We find Escanor," Meliodas said.
"But why?" Hawke asked. "You're strong enough yourself, aren't you?"
"Escanor's even stronger than I am," Meliodas said.
Everyone stared at him as he walked away before all falling in to follow him in silence.
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