A/N: Sorry this took a while. I had a ton of revision to do for mocks - very important stuff. Plus time just never seems to slow down these days...
Till next time,
D.L.D
Chapter Five: The Magic Door
Heat is the first thing that hits Elizabeth when she opens the door. One big, warm gust of heat hits her right in the face, sweeping her hair upwards and billowing her skirt. It wasn't harmful heat, burning heat, more like the sort that spread from a glowing fire, the kind you warm your hands with on a cold winter's day. Therefore, it wasn't hard for her to decide what to do next, to choose where to go next. Without so much as an afterthought, Elizabeth stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
Emptiness echoed then. The thick silence of the room, apart from the gentle crackling of the fire, had suddenly become a lot more noticeable. Prominent. Like a large shadow that only became visible once you were in dim candlelight. Barely any light escaped from the hearth, everything encased within a thick veil of gloom. Strange shadows danced and melded together on the walls, bending and stretching in the ever-moving flames of the fire. The only thing that remained constant, the same, was the empty feeling of the room and the feeling of being watched.
Biting her lip, Elizabeth stepped onto the first step. Her footstep echoed, not challenged by any particular noise, and no-one came rushing towards her. Good. If she was going to freeload for the night, then she wanted to avoid the owner of this place.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, the goddess made her way up the cold stone steps. As she did, she couldn't help but note the unsettling silence of the room and the dust set thick in the air. There wasn't much to go off from her surroundings, if you could even call it that, and she noted how some things did need a good clean. For such a magnificent and avidly talked about place, this castle sure was quiet and lonesome and secluded. It was like no-one really lived here. She was certain that she even heard a spider scuttle across the steps.
Spotting her desired target, Elizabeth set down the walking stick and leaned it against the hearth. Then, she hung her scarf over the back of a single wooden chair and stared at the small, glowing fire. Ash had piled around it, grey and dead, and rested in heaps that slouched on top of the stone the fire burned upon. Feeding the small flames was just a small chunk of wood, most likely burned out over the past while.
"That won't do..." Elizabeth frowned, looking around for more wood. If she wanted to get a decent amount of rest before Meliodas came around, then she needed to make sure this fire was well fed. A dying fire was never a good thing.
Noting the stack of pre-chopped wood beside the hearth, the female grinned and grabbed two pieces. Steadily, she fed the fire both chunks, watching as it ate away at the wood and grew in intensity and heat. Soon, it was emitting a pretty decent amount of glow and warmth - the right amount for the goddess to sit and gain some sort of relaxation from.
Sitting down in the chair, Elizabeth let out a relieved sigh as she stretched her hands towards the fire. The cold had set in even more than she had thought, chilling her bones and freezing her skin. Now that the fire was present, she could feel herself loosening up, relaxing a little more. It sent a nice, warm feeling to her stomach, her chest, filling her with a soothing sensation that she had not felt in the last twenty four hours.
"You're a good little fire," Elizabeth smiles a little, her eyes drooping with sleepiness. A small yawn escapes her as she lazily drags her eyes around the room. "Such a shame you're stuck in this dump. But then again, not much surprises me anymore."
Two eyes stare back at the goddess, popping out from the fire's flames. They dance with its body, not burning or combusting, but instead blinking as they look the goddess up and down.
"Well, I sure don't envy you, lady," The fire spoke, its voice surprising the female. It came out high pitched and cynical - snarky, even - as the flames grew little arms that rested on the logs. "That is one heck of spell you're under. I mean curses are tough to break, but this one is just near impossible."
"The fire spoke!" Elizabeth finds her back hitting the chair, her eyes wide as she stares at the fire. This should not be possible! Fires did not speak from where she came from; fires were not creatures of their own sentience and being.
"I bet you're not allowed to talk about it either," The fire continued, rolling its eyes.
Elizabeth remained still, senseless, as she listened to the little flames yammer on. Never had she expected the small ember to start speaking so energetically, especially in such a dark and empty place. All signs showed that she was alone. All of the gloom and hollowness and coldness of the room indicated that the fire was the only spot where warmth could emanate from. But then, from that conclusion, she should have known that the fire could not be normal. It had to be different.
She was now in the playground of magicians.
Taking in a deep breath, Elizabeth gathered her spirits. She needed to sound strong when she spoke to this creature.
"Are you Meliodas?"
"Nope!" The fire huffed, wisps of fine smoke curling from its nostrils. A proud little grin sat on its smug features, matching the puff in its little flame body. "I am an extremely powerful fire demon named Hawk!" As the fire showed its bravado, red flames spewed from its flickering mouth. They licked the walls of the hearth, magnificent and crimson, before fading into another proud grin. "I just like to do that every once in a while."
"A fire demon? Well then, you should be able to break my curse!" Elizabeth exclaimed, her brain already processing this newfound information. Fire demons were well-known for being useful within the world of magic. They were different from the average demon, entirely born from a completely different source. The only thing they shared was a similar name. But if you could gain help from a fire demon, you could break any known curse to man. You could overpower majority of magicians.
"Maybe, maybe not," Hawk responded, shrugging his ever-moving shoulders. Tips of his head moved into each other, forming sharp triangles. "But I can definitely do it if you can break the spell that's on me. You got it?"
Sounds like a fair deal. A curse in return for a curse. Elizabeth could hardly say no, especially when she was desperate for a way to return back to normal. If it meant going on a quest for this mysterious fire demon, then so be it. She would find a way to break whatever curse was set upon him before coming to collect her own side of the bargain. That is, of course, if she can assure that Hawk will keep his word about the deal.
"If you're truly a fire demon..." Elizabeth begins, humming in thought as she stared at the fire. Shadows danced on her face, striking strange angles on her skin. "How do I know that I can trust you? Do you promise to help me if I help you?"
Hawk bristled at this, his flames hesitating a second as he looked at the female. "Uh...I don't know, lady," The fire grew constant once more, smoothly returning to its normal rhythm. "Demons don't make promises."
Not the answer she wanted to hear. Definitely not the answer. If she was going to risk everything, her time, her chances at freedom, her life, she wanted to make sure that she would get her payment in return. She did not want to place all her hope on something that was not certain.
"Then go find someone else," Elizabeth responded, slouching back into her chair. Her features pulled into a stern mask displaying nothing other than sloth. Carelessness.
"Come on, lady! You should feel sorry for me!" Hawk exploded forward in his hearth, pressing together his glowing hands. Pleading eyes met Elizabeth's, filled with a desperation she had seen many times before. "That spell keeps me stuck in this stupid castle and Meliodas treats me like a slave and burns me up! 'You've gotta keep the castle moving, the rooms warm..."
"That sounds rough..." Elizabeth mumbles, her eyes drooping with sleep once more. She could feel a yawn building in the back of her throat, willing to be let out, but it remains. Thick. She is too tired to even yawn.
"You ever tried to make a castle move, lady?" Hawk finishes, his eyes bulging with frustration. Small sparks of him landed onto the floor, fading into dying embers. He then shakes his head, trying to calm down. "Look, if you can just end this thing I have with Meliodas, I can easily break that curse you have."
For a moment, a short silence fills the room, only the crackling of Hawk's flames breaking it. Elizabeth stares, weary-eyed, at the fire, her features blank and mind also fuzzy. She is aware of the contract she is making, she is conscious of what is happening, yet she is also so tired that none of it appears real at the moment. Most of it - if not all of it - felt like a dream more than reality. Maybe it was. Maybe this was all just one bad dream...
"Alright," Elizabeth finally answers, her eyes fluttering closed. She feels her chest growing heavier, her limbs becoming weighted with fatigue. She should get some rest now while she could, before Meliodas found her. "It's a deal..."
No other words said, the female allowed herself to drift, savouring the warmth of the fire and ignoring the small part of her that was still tense and alert. Instead she slept, immediately being taken a hold of by sleep.
"Hey!" Hawk calls out to her, his eyes narrowed into a tiny glare. "Lady! Lady!"
Elizabeth did not respond.
"Hello? Lady! Hey, hey, hey!" Hawk called out once more, louder this time. After gaining no response once more, he shifted forward on his spot, pushing some of the ash pile towards the edge of the hearth. Like elegant snow, it trickled in a fine fountain.
"Lemme get over there..."
He almost falls. Almost. But luckily, due to years of practice, he stops himself and pouts. Annoyed.
Going back to his station on the hearth, Hawk sighs, "Some big help you're gonna be."
Morning hits the coastal area of Camelot with great noise and celebration. Bright flags wave in the baby blue sky, boasting the proud seal of the reigning Pendragons, and proud brass fanfares flow in the racing wind. Crowds are piled along the docks, all smiling and cheering and clapping, clasping smaller flags and throwing confetti into the air. Workers, aristocrats and beggars alike were all strewn across the pavements, dressed in their finest garb and waving off the finest warships their country had to offer.
Normally, the coastal region of Camelot was not one to partake in such calamitous noise and urgency. It was a place populated by quiet folk, mostly family and old folk, who spent their days doing the small things in life. Fishermen and market stall owners were the main careers of the region. They specialized in all things to do with boating, the sea, crafting its own name as the masterclass of fisherman's ports and boating festival locations.
The coast, the docking and port towns of Camelot, were not those to celebrate loudly. They were not the sort to support war nor campaign for the change that it brought. However, today, they were. Today they were waving their flags and wishing their military well.
The town's mayor marches through the streets with an urgency he never usually carries. With his arms moving rapidly from side to side, joined with the odd waddling of his legs, he looks like a small dog waddling through the town. Behind him follows his assistant, the pair both matching in their fine top hats and badges, the metallic pins printed with the slogan 'For we shall win'. It is not extraordinary to spot the mayor in town, not in a small coastal settlement like here, but it is odd to see him look so upset. Frustrated.
Stopping before a building, the mayor and his assistant exchange a bitter expression. Already a heavy hand rests before the door, ready to pound upon the wood. They had been here many times, too many times, always attempting to convince the wizard inside to join the war. Unfortunately, he was never around to agree.
"Go ahead," The mayor nods to his assistant, adjusting his hat and tie. "Knock on the door."
Doing as they were told, the assistant knocked upon the door of The Great Wizard Jenkins' shop. Hopefully, Jenkins was inside this time.
Heavy pounding is what stirs Elizabeth from her somewhat deep sleep. At first, she hears it faintly, barely, like a little pin drop in a room filled with cawing birds, but after a while, it grows louder, more certain, like someone shoving themselves against a heavy door. It grew so unbearable, so terrible, that Elizabeth felt herself being dragged out of sleep, her eyes getting ready to open and her body preparing to get up and answer the door.
But, just as she was about to open her eyes, rushing footsteps fill the room. They grow louder as they grow closer, at first being small and numerous, but soon slowing to become big and little. Soon, they had stopped entirely, replaced with the confused question of a voice.
"Who's this?" The owner frowns, studying the young woman sleeping away on the chair. She looked a mess, her silver hair dirty and her neck thrown back. Before her, Hawk still burned, barely, the thin wisp of his smoke indicating that he was very much alive. For now.
If the man had a guess about where she had come from, he would say that Elizabeth was another one of his brother's little distractions. She was one of the girls who had aimlessly traveled out into the Waste to find Meliodas, only to discover that he was not as charming as they thought him to be. Or maybe she was here for a different reason entirely. Maybe she was looking for help. Maybe she was someone who did not heed the warnings about magic. A very foolish thing to do.
However, the owner, Zeldris, would not know who she is. He has not met many young girls who are as reckless as she is. Has not entertained them like his idiotic brother.
"Vaizel door," Hawk calls, entirely ignoring Zeldris' question.
"How did she get in here?" Zeldris quizzes again, moving away from Elizabeth and toward a table filled with books. Roughly, he then tugs a dark cloak from the pile, wrapping it around his neck and securing it. Pulling the hood onto his head, he grows a grey beard and walks with a crooked stance, playing the part of an old man rather well. He ignores the scattered books and relics that had dropped to the floor.
Still burning, Hawk ignores Zeldris' question. He downright acts as if it had not been uttered. Instead, with watching eyes, the fire demon observes as the disguised man hobbles to the door with little more than an annoyed glance at the silent fire. This would be breached later.
"Stand by," Zeldris lowers his voice, disguising its true sound. The new one, the old man one, was harsh, grated and aged - like a someone suffering a really bad cold. Then, in one smooth motion, Zeldris twists the door handle to blue and pulls the door open, revealing the sunny coastal town of Vaizel. Zeldris grins, "Mr Mayor, good day!"
"Good afternoon, sir," The mayor grins back, however his is full of disappointment, frustration. Trying to be subtle, he cranes his neck past Zeldris, hoping to catch a glance of the shop's interior. "Is the Great Wizard Jenkins home?"
"He is out for the moment," Zeldris responds lightly enough, but there is annoyance laced under his tone. He places a tense hand over his chest as he bows. "However, I speak for his absence."
At the mention of wizards, Elizabeth finds herself opening her eyes - much against her better judgement. Timidly, her eyelids lift just slightly, allowing her to capture the encounter at the door in perfect view. Short in stature and hunched, Zeldris stands in front of the opening, his hand smartly fixed to the doorknob. Behind him, taller but also obscured by the stone steps, stand the mayor and his assistant. Both are rather dismayed and eye Zeldris with skepticism.
From the looks of it, this was a regular occurrence - a daily task. But, from what Elizabeth knows about Meliodas, that shouldn't be surprising. He was a mysterious wizard who popped up randomly around the country. Why should multiple aliases be below him?
"An invitation from his majesty the king," The mayor explains, handing an envelope to Zeldris. The red stamp of the king's seal glimmered in the morning light. "The time for war is upon us. He requires every magician, even witches, to aid our homeland. Jenkins must report to the palace immediately. That is all."
With a chest puffed with pride, and a sense of duty, the mayor than marched away, his assistant trailing behind him with a polished suitcase. As soon as the mayor had turned to leave, Zeldris closed the door, sealing and shutting off the only passage into the bright, airy world. Securing and shutting Elizabeth's only true escape if things were to go south between her and the rather bitter-seeming man.
However, she wasn't doing too well at hiding her presence. Not when she was stoking the fire some more, happily feeding Hawk more kindle wood.
"I can't believe it's come to this..." Elizabeth sighs aloud, blushing as soon as she realises that she has spoken. She wasn't meant to do that; she wasn't meant to draw attention to herself. Now that she has done that, there's no way she'll last long enough to fulfill her end of Hawk's bargain. But, then again, she was never very good at hiding her presence.
"And what do you think you're doing here?" Zeldris demands, removing the hood of his cloak. Dark hair springs upward from the motion, wild and untamed, as the young man stood at the top of the stone steps, his green eyes hardened with suspicion. Scrutiny. He had never liked when these adventurous young girls ran away to the Wastes to find his brother; he had never liked the trouble that followed the naive and fickle fools.
Obvious and blatant, Elizabeth could sense the suspicion and frustration coming from the young man. Like a huge red flag, it was too eye-catching and unmissable to even think of brushing aside or ignoring. Plus, if what he was saying was true, he was someone who knew how all this magic stuff worked. Elizabeth needed someone like that. She needed someone who could help her to undo this curse and return to her normal life.
"Hawk said that I could come in..." Elizabeth bites her lip, suddenly feeling silly for assuming that the fire demon's approval would grant her certain protection. Even if he was powerful and helped to keep things running that didn't mean he was the boss around here. Meliodas was. That meant that Elizabeth had to seek his approval before knowing for certain if this place was her true route to being saved from her curse.
Zeldris fumes, his features twisting with outrage, "You idiot!"
"Don't blame me! I didn't let her in!" Hawk erupts from his spot, just as outraged and indignant. Steam rolls from his nostrils, coming out in smokey puffs. "I'm not that stupid. The woman just wandered in here from the Wastes."
"She's from the Wastes?" Zeldris responds, quickly, calmly, his tone changing entirely. He has gone from frustrated and tired to wary and calculated. Cautious. It was as if all the noise within him had been muted. Quietly, the man glances at the fire, his gaze entirely conspiratorial, "How do we know that she's not a witch?"
"Do you really think I'd let a witch in!" Hawk fumes once more, his flames growing with agitation as he glares at Zeldris. The small huff that escapes the fire demon amuses Elizabeth, making the cursed goddess grin a little.
Now that she thought about it, the two interacted quite fondly. Although prickly and more pessimistic, Zeldris was actually prodding at Hawk in a chiding manner. In a similar way, Hawk was not truly mad at Zeldris - just annoyed at the man for poking out some obvious blunders of his. Oddly, the interaction reminded Elizabeth of a family, of what she imagined life with siblings would truly be like. It made her think of her cheery coworkers back at the hat shop.
Just as the two were about to continue, the bell chimed once more. Light and tinkling it echoed a little in the atmosphere, soft and barely breaking through the crackles of Hawk's flames. Nevertheless, all attention turned to the distraction, both Zeldris and Elizabeth's eyes darting to the closed door located down the steps. The closed door that was the only way in and out of the building.
"Vaizel again," Hawk calls dully.
"Must be a customer," Zeldris mutters, pulling the cloak's hood back on and hopping down the stone steps. Calmly, he reached for the doorknob, a certain hand fixing around the cool metal. "Stand by!"
Smoothly, the door swung open, once again revealing the sunny cobblestones of Vaizel's streets. Morning breeze and sunlight filtered over the threshold, bright and fresh and different from the cold interior of the room. Within it stood a young woman, her blonde hair tied into a golden twist with a pretty velvet ribbon. In her hands was a small pouch, red in colour, that matched with her lightly coloured eyes - those same eyes widened at the sight of the disguised Zeldris.
"Oh, Zeldris!" The woman's voice was soft, like crushed velvet, as she lifted a surprised hand to her chest. "I didn't expect to run into you today. Is your brother not here?"
"I'm afraid not," The man responds, easily ushering the woman inside and closing the door behind him. Sighing, he removes the hood of the cloak, dark hair springing free once more. "However, I'm sure I'll suffice."
"You do more than suffice," The woman smiles brightly, her features soft and loving. Caring. A gentle hand rests upon his shoulder, lined with perfectly polished nails. "Do you happen to have any knowledge about manipulating winds? My father wants this week's exports to avoid being damaged due to the war."
"Of course I do," Zeldris snaps, rather proudly and brashly, easily hopping back up the steps once more. The cloak flares behind his movements, following like a shadow. "I'm not Meliodas' brother for nothing!"
As Zeldris passes Elizabeth, the goddess still awed and shocked with the arrival of this new woman, he suddenly stops grinning. In fact, it turns into the opposite: a dark, warning frown.
"Keep quiet and don't cause trouble," He glared at Elizabeth, his voice dropped to a low growl as he headed toward a table, this one located in the corner, away from the clutter piled upon the main table closest to the hearth.
In contrast to Zeldris' warning glare, the woman who had just arrived gracefully walks up the front steps, offering Elizabeth a friendly smile and face. Curiously, her eyes watch the stunned goddess, noting how Elizabeth stared at her with the same innocent curiosity. The same type of curiosity and interest that suggested she was rather new to the chaos and bustle of Meliodas and Zeldris' lives within this magical building.
However, instead of even greeting the woman, Elizabeth finds her feet wandering to the window nearby, attracted to the golden light streaming through the glass. Through it, she could see the town, Vaizel, the slated roofs of sloping seaside cottages immediately meeting her keen gaze. Between the slate were patches of cobbles, thin streams of smoke and steam, the odd gull fluttering to join the clear blue skies above.
Then there was the sea, the glittering, shining, beauteous sea. Catching the light of the sun, splitting into perfect lines as boats floated across the perfect surface. Vaizel was known for its idyllic views of the coast, famous for the many boating events and wonderful wonders it held within its natural cove. All around Camelot, all around the world, people flocked to see it in the flesh. Only Elizabeth had not expected to see it today; the coast was far from the mountainous plateaus of the Wastes.
"It's not the Wastes..." Elizabeth breathes, her eyes wide as she focuses on the sea, the pure, blue crystal sea that most definitely was not near her own hometown. Not near anything she was usually located by.
"Um, excuse me miss," The blonde woman blinks at Elizabeth's gaping, spooked by the way in which she studied the view beyond the window. "But are you a witch?"
"Me?" Elizabeth turns, swiftly, at the very word. Witch. A witch is far from what she is. Witches are people who use magic for the wrong things - rarely did one encounter a good witch. Yet, Elizabeth is meant to pass as someone who fits into this world of magic and monsters. If she wanted to fit in, play the right part, then she needed to say the right thing. She needed to lie. "Well, I suppo- "
"Dust the ship with this powder and the wind will favour it," Zeldris interjects quickly, passing the blonde woman a package. Curiously, Elizabeth watches as the woman closes her hand around it, tucking the item into a pocket within her skirts.
"Thank you," The young woman smiles, dropping a few glittering coins into Zeldris' hand. "This really means a lot."
"You're welcome," Zeldris responds, something akin to bashfulness filling his face.
Without another word, the blonde woman leaves, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and clutching her skirts. She left in such a hurry that even Hawk stared after her, the fire demon halting his greedy munching on the wood Elizabeth had given him.
"Do you...like her?" Elizabeth asked after a second, spotting that Zeldris still appeared rather lost. Thoughtless.
"Can you stop speaking about things you don't understand!" Zeldris snaps in response, his gaze, thunderous and tired, fixing onto Elizabeth. It is his blood that betrays him, tinting his cheeks with a faint blush. A faint show of affection. "It makes my job really troublesome."
"Well, you wear a disguise," Elizabeth retorts, her voice still light and questioning. "That means you have something to hide."
"It's not a disguise it's - " The man pauses in his explanation, his features exploding with the outcry that leaves his lips. "Why am I even explaining myself to you? It's not like you're even worth giving an answer!"
Just as the man was about storm back upstairs, the bell rang once more. Again, it was light, tinkling, a signal of an approaching customer and not at all a sign that his annoying brother had returned from wherever he had run off to.
"It's the Capital's door!" Hawk calls out.
"Every single..." Zeldris curses, turning on his heel and storming down the steps. Jerkily, he throws on his disguise, turning into the hunched, old man once more, before twisting the metal knob (changing the colour of the dial from blue to red) and flinging the door open by its metal knob. "Stand by!"
Again, the scene outside of the threshold changed. Instead of being hit with the soft sunlight and salty breeze of the seaside town of Vaizel, the room was met with the more thick and busy air of the country's capital. Once sunlit cobbled streets were now perfectly paved and shrouded with the shadow of tall buildings, patched with light that reflected from fine windows. Motors jutted in the background of the bustle, the fast-paced noise and sights of the city differing greatly from the slow-paced and tranquil setting of the coast.
Standing in the doorway, dressed much finer than the seaside town's mayor, stood a messenger. Red was the main colour of his clothing, the colour of the crown, matched with a short black cape and golden buttons and embellishments. On his hip dangled a sheathed sword, once again boasting his status and importance. In his hand was an envelope and a hat, the hat boasting the golden emblem of the royal family itself.
"Good day," The messenger bows, showing that he was well-trained and definitely picked from the King's finest. His eyes meet Zeldris' full of question. "Is this the residence of the Great Wizard Dragon?"
"It is," Zeldris nods, his voice gruff and begrudging.
"I bear an invitation from His Majesty," The messenger says, passing the man the envelope within his hand. The golden seal catches the light. "Please inform Mr Dragon that all witches and wizards are required for duty at the Palace."
"I will inform him right away," Zeldris promises, ready to turn and close the door. However, Elizabeth's presence halts him.
Right in Zeldris' way, the young woman stands, her eyes wide and jaw agape as she stares at the luxurious sight of the country's capital. Outside, across the street, was a gated park, the trees tall, green and beautiful as they sprouted along the iron-wrought fence. Behind them stood the buildings, bright and colourful and impressive, their windows all shiny and the stone columns polished and chiseled to please. Stone was carved away to have intricate patterning: along the walls, framing the windows, statues that stood in the place of ghoulish gargoyles. And from every possible place hung the flags of the kingdom, proud and bright and not at all limp and wrinkled. They were new. Neat.
The Capital wasn't anything new to Elizabeth, not when her mother now lived there and especially not when she had shopped there many a time, but what was always new about it was the way it looked. The way it felt. Every time Elizabeth stared at the magnificent buildings, heard the thrum and bustle of the streets, she always felt refreshed. Renewed. It was like coming home sometimes. Other times it was like seeing another world.
"This is the Capital, isn't it?" She asks.
"Move it or lose your nose," Zeldris barks from behind her, finally managing to shove past. "And stop wandering around."
Abiding by Zeldris' threat, Elizabeth stepped back inside and let him close the door. As he did, she watched what he did, noting how he used the doorknob like with any other door. Then, as he turned to march up the steps, she waited to test out her idea. Her theory.
If this door was truly magic, if it could truly transport her to different places in this country, then Elizabeth wanted to see just where it could take it. Would it take her to a set place? Would it take her home? Or would it not do anything, knowing that Elizabeth was not a true magic user? With the curiosity building within her the more she stared at the doorknob, the goddess just had to know. She had to see for herself.
Fixing a hand around the doorknob, she turns the dial to green, yanking the door open. Immediately, the cool gust of the Waste's fog and mist floods her face, reddening her skin, as she steps outside and surveys her surroundings. As predicted, they had changed, however it was to a place that she knew the castle had been - a place that Meliodas or the other man would know of or go to. Elizabeth wanted to know if this door could maybe take her somewhere else.
So, Elizabeth tried it again, this time twisting the knob to blue. Again, the scenery changed, morphing into the seaside town of Vaizel and blessing the goddess with the salty wind and kind sunshine. Still not satisfied, she headed back in and began turning at the knob again, watching the colours turn and wondering just which one she should try next.
"Leave it alone," Zeldris speaks from above, his head poking through the railings of the landing. "You're really starting to piss me off."
"This is a magic door, isn't it?" Elizabeth asks, completely ignoring the annoyed look that flashes onto his features once more.
"It's a magic house," Zeldris corrects, his brows pinching as he watched Elizabeth toy with the handle. "The whole place is enchanted."
"Ok, a magic house," Elizabeth nods, humming as she finally settles on a colour. Black. The one that seems to hold the most secrets out of all of the door's dials. She raises a brow at Zeldris, "Where does this one lead?"
"Only Meliodas knows that," Zeldris pushes away from the railing, very much annoyed. "And you'd do well to avoid using it."
"Why?" Elizabeth blinked, truly confused as to why she wouldn't want to travel to that specific location.
"Because it's the most dangerous one," Zeldris responds, a grin settling on his features. "And only Meliodas has gone through it and survived."