I, Bluecookiedough do not own Seven Deadly Sins.
King Baltra was in shock, he didn't know what to think. Elizabeth was crying in his lap, holding Hawk tight in her small arms. He whispered comforting words in her ear, holding her tight, but in truth he wasn't all there. He felt like he was watching from far away. The Sins were yelling and basically going crazy.
Ban held Meliodas close, almost on his lap, face buried in his golden hair. Gowthor held tight to Meliodas is one hand, and Merlin's hand held in his other. Merlin looked to be trying to appear calm but it wasn't working very well. King was sitting on the arm of Diane's chair, rubbing her shoulder as she cried.
"Hey, I'm alright." Meliodas said softly, a comforting smile on his face. Ban held him tighter.
"You're not alright, you're d-" King stopped, unable to bring himself to finish his sentence. He closed his eyes, breathing shakily. "You're not alright." He stated again, softer this time, though no less insistent.
Merlin reached up and put a comforting hand on his arm, rubbing lightly. Diane leaned closer to him, trying to offer some support. It was as though the strings holding King up had suddenly been cut. He sagged down dropping his head in to his hands, and pulling his knees up to his chest.
Meliodas looked at him, his expression troubled. Then something seemed to change, his lips curved into a determined frown. He sat forward so that he could look into the Sin's eyes, one by one.
"I promise you, it will all be ok. I swear it."
The Sins looked at him, then one by one they seemed to relax, pulling themselves together if only a little.
By then Baltra had gotten Elizabeth calmed down enough so that she wasn't quite crying anymore, though she was still holding on to Hawk tighter than usual. Meliodas looked over at her, trying to catch her eye. When he did he smiled comfortingly at her.
"I guess we'd better keep watching." Baltra said, rubbing Elizabeth's back softly.
The group turned back to the screen.
The screen zoomed in from the outside of Baste Prison, before cutting to show two guards stationed outside the door of a cell. "Hey, wanna bet on who will win?" The first guard said. The second one looked at him,
"What?"
"The Weird Fangs or the Seven Deadly Sins, they're fighting in town right now."
Normally the Sins would have full confidence in their skills, but with their captain...out of commision, they just stayed quiet.
Meliodas frowned.
"That's not much of a bet," the second guard replied. "From what I heard, the Sins are just down to their captain and one other member. They're no match for four active duty Holy Knights so-"
The second guard was cut off by a voice from inside the cell. "Well that's awesome news." The guards stiffened.
"Really, Ban?"
Ban smirked but it faded quickly.
"Sounds like it oughta be fun." Ban continued, causing the guards to step away from the door in fear.
Meliodas smiled up at Ban fondly, "Y'know sometimes I don't know what to do with you, Ban." Ban laughed a little, smiling back, a small smile but no less genuine. Gowthor scooted a little closer to Ban, who smiled at him, softer than his usual smirk.
The door was knocked to the ground in a cloud of smoke, an outline of Ban's foot imprinted in the center, where he had kicked it down.
The guards trembled, "N-no way…" they backed up in fear.
"Ugh, it feels so good to walk around after all this time." Ban said, stretching. He was covered in wounds, and dripping blood everywhere he walked. He even had long pieces of metal impaled into his arms.
"The Seven Deadly Sins' Ban!" A guard gasped, "The Fox Sin!"
The Sins frowned, all traces of good humor gone, Ban looked terrible, covered in blood and his clothes ripped. Ban nudged Gowthor with his shoulder, "Hey, it's all good. I'm immortal, remember?"
Merlin frowned over at him. "That doesn't mean that you can't get hurt, or that you don't feel pain when you do." She said, eyes narrowed.
Ban looked surprised, and unsure how to react. He reached over and took her hand, a little uncertainly.
She relaxed incrimmentaly, and let out a small sigh.
"Damn you! How'd you get out of there?" One guard yells as both guards draw their swords. "And why now?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Ban drawls casually, "I kicked the door down."
The audience laughs. Ban smirks and the Sins look at him fondly.
Ban begins removing the pieces of metal impaled in his arms and legs.
The Sins wince, Merlin tightens her grip on Ban's hand. Gowthor leaned over more so that he was touching Ban all along the side of his body, the backs of their hands matching up.
"And as for why," Ban continued, yanking a metal spike out of his arm, "It's 'cause you were talking about some totally interesting stuff."
The audience laughed, but everyone except Ban winced at his casual disregard for his injuries. Meliodas had been steadily frowning more over the past few minutes. Elizabeth winced, hiding her face in her father's shoulder, not liking all of the blood.
"You said he was alive,our Captain." Ban said, narrowing his eyes at the guards. They flinched and stepped back, scared.
"What's all this commotion?" Jericho said, walking purposefully down the dungeon hallway towards the three men.
"Lady Jericho!" One of the guards gasped. Jericho walked up to Ban.
"Ban of the Seven Deadly Sins, I don't know how you escaped your cell, but return there at once." He huffed out a laugh.
"Yeah, I'm sure I'll do that." Ban laughed. Merlin laughed lightly,
"Well why wouldn't you? You always follow all orders to the letter!" Ban cackled, and that set the rest of the Sins off as well.
"How about some respect, kid?" Ban said, stroking his beard. "I'm not real sure how you were raised, but is that anyway to talk to a hero?"
"Ooh, she's not going to like that." King laughed.
"Also, what is up with that beard?"
"Yeah, Ban. Not a good look on you."
"You're just jealous you couldn't pull one off as well as I can." The Sins teased each other playfully, Elizabeth giggled.
Jericho's face took on an expression of disgust. "I am an apprentice Holy Knight, you dare call me 'kid'?"
"Uh, yeah I think I do."
"Shh," Diane giggled, "I'm trying to watch, Ban!" He raised his hands in the air, jokingly surrendering. Merlin and Gowthor frowned at being displaced. Meliodas laughed.
"That's pretty disrespectful for a prisoner who's at death's door."
The Sins frowned, all traces of their previous laughter gone. Ban looked at them,
"Hey, it's ok." He said, unusually softly. Ban had realized that even though he had had this conversation with the Sins before, they still weren't seeing eye to eye. "I'm immortal, I can't die."
"But you can get hurt! We've had this conversation more times than I can count!"
"Ban," Meliodas cut in, a little calmer than Diane, "How would you feel if it were any of us in your position?"
"That's different! You guys can all die! And as far as we know you're actually dead!" Meliodas looked taken aback by his sudden outburst. Ban looked away from him, putting his face in his hands.
"Alright…" Meliodas said softly, placing a hand on Ban's shoulder hesitantly, "Alright."
King looked over at Ban, worried. Diane placed a comforting hand on his legs, he made eye contact with her, smiling a small smile.
Ban sat up, resolutely not looking at anyone, "Let's just...finish this."
"Ok." The Sins still looked worried, but they remained silent, not wanting Ban to feel like he was being pitied or patronized.
Jericho was giving orders to the two guards. "Go to Sir Golgius and the others at once. Tell them all, Jericho had to take down the Fox Sin when he escaped and tried to resist."
"Right!" The guards ran out of the hall.
Jericho drew her sword, rushing at Ban. She executed a series of slashes and strikes before sheathing her sword. Ban laughed and turned to face her, his face now clean shaven.
The audience laughed. "I guess you aren't too fond of the beard either." Ban, who was starting to look a little bit more like his usual self, smiled a little.
"I guess so."
Meanwhile, Baltra was just in shock at the Fox Sin's agility and overall power.
"Do you think I had you take off too much?" Ban asked, rubbing his chin.
Jericho turned around in surprise.
"Well it feels pretty good, so I guess I'm ok with it." He pointed at her, where she was standing in shock. "You've got some real talent there, kid. You could be a barber!"
At this, the audience started laughing, Elizabeth had come out from her hiding place, and was facing the screen fully once more.
"You dodged my sword even with all those injuries?" Jericho asked in shock.
"Injuries?" Ban asked, pretending to be confused, "What are you talking about?" He playfully looked around at his arms and legs, which had fully healed by now.
"Impossible...just minutes ago your limbs were full of holes from steel spikes running through them!" Jericho said, in shock.
"It'd be good if you remember this, kid." Ban said, "There's only one wound on me, and it's this one right here, got it." He pointed at a long scar on his neck, running from his chin to his collarbone.
Meliodas winced, "Sorry." He said softly.
Ban just smiled, reaching out and taking his hand in his. "S'okay, it was my fault anyway."
"So you could say that injuries I get from that guy are kind of a special case. I guess." Jericho's eyes widened.
And the screen went black.
Then it turned back on to show Meliodas' hotel room. Where Elizabeth was still facing off Holy Knight Golgius.
"Princess Elizabeth, I have come to take you home."
Baltra held his daughter tighter in his arms.
"Not so fast! You're gonna have to go through the captain of the Order of Scraps Disposal first!"
"Yeah, Hawk, you show him!"
But Golgius just kicked Hawk, sending him flying across the room into the wall.
"Hawk!" Elizabeth yelled, picking him up into her arms.
"It's ok, Elizabeth. I'm a strong little piggy! It takes a lot more than that to keep me down."
On the couch, Ban chuckled, though his eyes were watery.
"Now then," Golgius said, ripping off the bed sheets covering Meliodas. "Seems it's become rather pointless for you to keep this sword any longer." Golgius picked up the sword from the bed, but Meliodas' grip never faltered, even in his current condition.
"Uh oh, not a good move." Ban said. Meliodas frowned a little, and tightened his grip on Ban's hand. Ban just pulled him closer, to that he was sitting sideways on Ban's lap, with Meliodas' head on Ban's shoulder. Merlin smiled softly and pulled Meliodas' feel into her lap, rubbing his ankles. Meliodas smiled at her.
"So I shall take it with me." Golgius said, trying to pull the sword from Meliodas' grasp.
The scene abruptly changed to the side of a cliff, where the Seven Deadly Sins were camped out one night, the caption reading 12 Years Ago.
Meliodas winced, he didn't like being reminded of the times where he hurt his Sins. Even though he wasn't in a good headspace then, he could never fully forgive himself. Ban leaned down and whispered into Meliodas' ear, snapping him out of his spiral of guilt. "It's ok, Captain. I was completely in the wrong. I shouldn't have pushed."
Meliodas frowned at him, "That doesn't mean you deserved to be hurt, or that I had the right to hurt you."
"Your reaction, while it may not have been the wisest, is perfectly reasonable." Gowthor said, tilting his head to meet Meliodas' eyes in a kind gaze.
Meliodas smiled a small, soft smile at him. Comforted for now, but not looking forward to watching the upcoming scene.
Ban leaned his chin on the top of Meliodas' head as everyone turned back to the screen.
"C'mon, Captain. What's the big deal?" Ban said, "Just show me your sword already."
"Why are you so interested in looking at this hunk 'a junk?" Meliodas asked.
Meliodas and Ban were seated on opposite sides of a campfire, the giant corpse of a defeated monster could be seen lying further off. Just barely visible by the dim light of the fire.
"Well, last I checked you were the captain of The Seven Deadly Sins." Ban said, "So, why the hell are you walking around with a sword like that?" Ban got up and walked over so that he was standing just behind Meliodas. "I mean did you really think I wouldn't be curious about it?"
Meliodas took a sip from a flagon that he was holding.
Despite the tense atmosphere that had taken hold of the audience, the Sins let out a few chuckles. "You really can't get by without a drink, huh, Captain." King teased, smiling.
Meliodas looked over at him, a bit of the tension leaving his shoulders. "Guess not."
They shared a smile.
"C'mon, just let me have a little peak." Ban smiled, insincerely. One hand on Meliodas' shoulder, the other on the handle of the sword.
Meliodas dropped his now empty flagon, which made a hollow clunking sound as it his the rocky ground below.
"Let go, Ban." Meliodas said, his voice deadpan, his hand coming up to grip the handle of the sword as well, stopping Ban's attempt to pull it from it's sheath.
"Sorry," Ban said softly. "Should have listened."
Meliodas settled further back against him, leaning his head upon Ban's shoulder. "It's alright. I could never stay mad at you."
Ban closed his eyes, heart full of an emotion he hadn't felt for a long time, and rested his head on Meliodas'.
Diane had woken up from her slumber, sitting up just outside of the firelight. "Hey, you two. You're still up?"
Ban and Meliodas appeared not to hear her. Not moving an inch.
"Just step away, Ban." Meliodas said, his voice still devoid of any emotion. "You don't wanna make me angry."
"Make you angry, are you serious?" Ban asked. "You and me have been hangin' together for a lotta years now. And in all that time I've never seen you get angry once."
Meliodas tightened his grip on Ban's hand, turning his face into Ban's neck. Merlin rubben his ankles soothingly.
"I mean it." Meliodas said, but Ban continued on as if he hadn't spoken.
"That reminds me, I'm also interested in knowing how you ended up getting called the Dragon Sin of Wrath." This seemed to shock Diane into speaking.
"Ban, just what do you think you're doing to the Captain?!"
"If doin' this means I'm gonna get to see what you're like when you're angry." Ban said, both hands now on the sword, straining to pull it from it's sheath. "Then I wanna do it even more."
Though Baltra knew it was hardly the time, he couldn't help but marvel at the strength of the Captain. Meliodas was preventing Ban from moving the sword at all with just one hand, while Ban was using both and straining with all his might. Meliodas didn't even look phazed.
"Now, I wanna steal it!" Ban said, his voice fitting his title as the Sin of Greed.
There was a flash of steel and Ban flew across the clearing. Landing on his feet, but splattering blood everywhere. A cut having opened up from his collarbone up to his cheek.
Meliodas flinched, and Ban brought his unoccupied hand up to cradle the back of Meliodas' head.
"What do you know, looks like I just saw a hidden side of you." Ban laughed, "Cool".
"Sorry about that, Ban." Meliodas said, "But this sword is-"
"Stop!" The scene had switched back to Elizabeth in the hospital room, the flashback apparently over. "What are you doing to Sir Meliodas?!"
The Holy Knight had succeeded in yanking the sword out of Meliodas' grip.
The audience looked on in surprise. Meliodas had looked back at the screen at Elizabeth's shout, and now furrowed his eyebrows, looking worried.
"It's mine now, you've no use for it." The Holy Knight said.
All of a sudden, Meliodas sat straight up in bed, his hand firmly grasped around the handle of the sword once more.
The doctor's mouth fell open in shock. "Impossible! No one could survive after that much poison!" He said in shock.
The audience was in shock as well, staring with rapt attention at the screen.
"Too stubborn to die, I see." Said the Holy Knight. "But you will release this sword!"
"Even if I die," Said Meliodas, now standing by the side of the bed "This sword is the one thing I'll never let go of. It's the only thing I can do. The only way I can ever attone."
Meliodas flinched again, memories running through his head.
Ban and Merlin tightened their grips on their captain. The Sins staring at the screen in anger but also in worry.
"Sir Meliodas." Elizabeth said weakly.
The Holy Knight laughed, "Spout all the nonsense you wish, the princess and this sword will be mine!"
Baltra stiffened, gripping his daughter tightly.
Meliodus looked up at Holy Knight Golgius, a strange symbol glowing purple on his forehead. Golgius steps back in fear, his confidence failing before the intensity and strength of Meliodas' stare.
The Sins looked at the symbol on the screen. A faint sense of recognition began to well up inside of them. Ban narrowed his eyes, trying to lean his head and catch Meliodas' gaze. But Meliodas kept his eyes firmly fixed on the screen, his face blank. Ban leaned back, his face looking troubled.
With a shout, Golgius crashed through the window and onto the street, running off in fear.
Hawk watched him go, "He got away!"
"I'm sorry," Elizabeth said, "Is it really you standing there?"
Meliodas turned to look at her, his face once again normal. "Yeah, it's me. Hey, Elizabeth,"
"Oh, thank goodness! You're back to your old self again."
"Hey, where are we right now?" Meliodas asked, looking around the room.
"The Town of Dalmally, which is right by Baste Prison." Elizabeth answered.
"And who was that weirdo?"
Elizabeth giggled, relieved that Meliodas was no longer sick. She didn't care much about the strange symbol that had appeared on his head, although she was confused at the tension that had come over the adults in the room.
"His name is Golgius." Hawk answered, standing on the window sill. "From the looks of things, it's pretty clear that he was after Elizabeth and that broken sword of yours. And that quack over there was working with him too."
"He was?" Elizabeth asked as they all turned to face where the doctor had been standing. Only to find that the doctor had fled the room.
"He high-tailed it, c'mon!" Hawk said, jumping down off the sill.
"Wait!" Elizabeth said, "Sir Meliodas' injuries haven't fully healed!"
Ban pressed his lips together, worried, but not willing to say anything. Still working the events of the past few minutes over in his mind.
Meliodas unwound the bandages and dropped them to the floor, revealing the fully healed scar on his shoulder.
"Looks alright to me." He said.
"I can't believe it!"
"Whatever, just get dressed already." Hawk said, clearly ready to move on.
The scene shifted to show Golgius talking to himself, "I narrowly escaped there, so that was Meliodas the Dragon Sin. I chose to make my exit at precisely the right time then." He laughed to himself. "Fascinating indeed."
"Gotcha'." Golgius turned to see Meliodas, Hawk, and Elizabeth standing right next to him.
"Impossible! How did you find me?!"
"My nose can sniff out slop from a mile away!" Hawk said.
Elizabeth turned to him, "Is that honestly true?"
"Yup!"
Elizabeth squeezed Hawk in a big hug, "That's so cool, Hawk!"
Hawk oinked happily.
"I'm gonna have you give up the name of the person who ordered you to swipe my sword, and the princess." Meliodas said, perfectly calm and nonchalant. "Otherwise, I'll have to beat you black and blue."
"Of course," Golgius put his hands in the air. "I surrender."
Elizabeth gasped in surprise.
"To be honest I'm very much a coward by nature." Golgius continued. "Combat isn't really to my liking. Particularly when my adversary is the Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins."
Golgius didn't appear to move from his position of surrender, but Meliodas shot his sword out and blocked to sharpened boomerangs from hitting him and Elizabeth.
Merlin tightened her grip on Meliodas' ankles, the action on screen taking her by surprise. Meliodas reached out and grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb along the back of it comfortingly.
"I released those blades when I raised my hands. You were able to spot me doing it?"
"Of course." Meliodas replied.
Just then the doctor appeared from up the street behind Meliodas. "There you are Sir Golgius, I've been looking for you,"
"Hey, it's that quack!" Hawk said.
"Now I know I wasn't able to end the boy's life, alright. But I still poisoned him as I was told. A deal's a deal. Please, return my daughter as promised!"
Golgius teleported away.
"He's gone!"
"Woah, where'd he go?" Hawk said in surprise.
"You need to stay close to me, Elizabeth." Meliodas said.
"Right."
"And come to think of it, when that guy first showed up in your room in was from out of nowhere too." Hawk said.
"No need to shout," Golgius said, reappearing behind the doctor. "I shall reunite you with your daughter."
"Thank you!"
The Sins winced, knowing it likely wasn't going to go down like the doctor hoped.
"Doctor! Get away from there!" Meliodas yelled.
"I shall send her to join you in the afterlife." Golgius said, plunging his sword through the doctors chest from behind.
The audience winced, Elizabeth bringing Hawk up higher to hide her face.
"We can't have you ruining the Holy Knight's good name by revealing that we ordered you to poison the boy, now can we?" Golgius said as the doctor collapsed to the cobblestones.
"No!" Elizabeth ran up the street to the doctor's side, kneeling on the ground.
"Elizabeth, wait! It isn't safe here. We don't know where or when that guy's gonna show up next!"
Baltra looked over at Meliodas, "Thank you for protecting my daughter."
"Of course." Meliodas nodded back, his face serious.
"We can't just leave him!"
Golgius suddenly appeared behind Elizabeth, swinging his sword down towards her. "I have you now!"
Meliodas was there to block the swing with his own sword.
Hawk ran around in fright. "He vanished again, is this guy teleporting or what?!"
"What a clever pig you are," Golgius laughed, his body invisible, "your strength is no match for my powers of teleportation." He reappeared to swing at Meliodas' back, but Meliodas was already in place to block his attack.
Meliodas grabbed Elizabeth's wrist and pulled her to her feet. "Let's get outta here!" He yelled pulling her to run down the street, Hawk following close behind.
Meliodas proceeded to pull Elizabeth out of the way of Golgius' sword as he suddenly appeared running behind them.
"Dammit! He's definitely leaving behind a metallic scent trail, but I don't have enough time to track it with him attacking at the same time!" Hawk said.
"A metallic scent trail?" Meliodas said, still fighting Golgius. Meliodas kicked out catching Golgius in the stomach and throwing him down the street, where he landed on his feet.
"No matter where you hide," Golgius laughed, "I will always find you."
The Sins seemed to draw closer to their captain, even Ban putting away his mental wonderings for another time. Baltra placed a kiss on the top of Elizabeth's head.
She turned to him, "Don't worry father, Sir Meliodas will protect us." He smiled back at her.
"Well, thanks for the compliment, Beth." Meliodas smiled at her. She giggled.
On the screen, Meliodas, Elizabeth, and Hawk had taken shelter in an abandoned building.
"What exactly are we doing, hiding in this run down building?" Hawk asked.
Meliodas led the two up some stairs, "Think it through, do you want to get the townspeople caught up in this?"
"Well, I guess you have a point there." Hawk replied as the three stopped in a room on the second floor of the house.
The floorboards creaked as they walked, and Meliodas frowned down at his feat.
"Why don't we just try staying here, and see if we can wait him out." Meliodas said, placing his hands on his hips.
"I'm surprised this place is still standing, man it's musty." Hawk complained.
Elizabeth took a seat on the floor.
Meliodas swung his sword around in a series of short movements.
"Whatcha doing there?" Hawk asked.
Meliodas smiled, "A little spell to keep him from coming inside."
The audience chuckled. Ban smothering his smile in Meliodas' hair.
"'A little spell' my pork butt, since when have you been able to use magic?" Hawk asked.
Ban chuckled. "I like this pig, he's funny."
Hawk smiled at him.
"Well," Meliodas replied, smiling, "How do you know I can't?"
Elizabeth giggled.
"Is is really safe here though?" Hawk asked. "We're stuck on the top floor of a cramped done in building. There's nowhere to run in here. At least close the door if we're trying to hide."
"You're so smart, Hawk." Elizabeth said, placing a kiss on the top of his head.
Hawk wiggled in her lap, "You're so nice, Elizabeth."
"Doors don't have much effect on someone who teleports." Meliodas said, raising his hand up, "And you never know, he could just pop up between us, right out of the blue."
"Don't say that." Hawk squaked in fright.
"Good guess!" Golgius said, appeared right behind Meliodas. "Try behind you."
Meliodas just turned his head, smiling. "Good guess, try under you."
The floor creaked under the weight of Golgius and his heavy armor, and finally broke. Sending Golgius crashing to the ground floor with a shout.
The Sins laughed.
"You always have a plan, Captain." Merlin said, smiling.
"Yes," Gowthor added. "And a rather intelligent one, as well."
Meliodas just smiled, still laughing a little.
"Geez, it's so run down in here he fell straight to the bottom." Hawk said, standing at the edge of the hole in the floor."
"Then that spell earlier-." Elizabeth started.
Golgius finished her thought, getting to his feet with a groan. "He cut the floor and set a trap for me."
Meliodas jumped down through the hole, landing softly on the balls of his feet. "Your power's invisibility, isn't it. There were gaps in time between when you would vanish and when you would show up again. That was kinda bugging me for a while."
The audience was smiling. Ban tightened his grip on Meliodas, "Nice job, Captain. We can always count on you to observe everything."
Meliodas just smiled.
"Someone who could teleport leaving a scent trail was weird too." Meliodas finished. "In other words, it meant that you must have been moving on foot just like we were. It also meant that you would have been forced to use the room's only door." Meliodas raised his sword. "Plus, fighting down here, means I don't have to worry about protecting Elizabeth from you."
Baltra smiled, glad his daughter had ended up in such capable hands.
Meliodas swung at Golgius, sending him through the wall and out into the street. "Alright, let's get down to business. Now will you answer the question I asked you before?" Meliodas asked, slowly walking closer to Golgius. "Just what was your reason for going after Elizabeth and this sword of mine? And who was the person who asked you to?"
Elizabeth called out to him, "Sir Meliodas!" She and Hawk ran out onto the street and up to Meliodas.
"We were wondering what was going on down here." Hawk said.
Golgius disappeared.
"Well what do you know." Meliodas said, "Guess he ran away."
There was the sound of a horse from the end of the street.
"Why is that horse running this way with no rider?" Hawk asked. "All that racket from before must have spooked it."
"So that's where went." Meliodas said as Golgius faded into view on the horse's back.
"What a fright that was." Golgius said to himself as he rode out of town. "My superiors gave me quite a mission to carry out."
"Now I'm really curious as to who his superiors are." King said.
"Yeah," Said Diane. "I wonder if we know them."
"Looks like that horse is headed towards Baste Prison." Meliodas commented.
"Alright, let's go!" Hawk yelled.
But Elizabeth turned and ran the other way with a gasp.
"Hey, Elizabeth." Meliodas called.
"Baste Prison isn't that way, you know!" Hawk yelled after her.
The screen changed to show Elizabeth once again kneeling at the side of Dr. Dana where he had not moved from his spot on the ground.
"Dr. Dana! Please hold on! Why...why did this happen?" Elizabeth held his head in her lap, tears starting to flow down her face.
He looked up at her, barely holding on to life. "Why...why are...you crying? I'm truly sorry. I only did this...because...I wanted to save my daughter."
Baltra ran his hand soothingly through his daughter's hair, hoping he would never end up in a position like that with any of his daughters.
"My dear Sennett...I just wanted ...to keep...you safe." Dr. Dana said, now crying as well.
"This is all my fault." Elizabeth said, her voice thick with tears.
"What are you talking about?" Meliodas asked kindly. "It was Golgius who killed him."
"If we hadn't come into this town in the first place, Dr. Dana wouldn't be lying here dead, and his daughter wouldn't have been taken by the Holy Knights. It wouldn't have happened."
"Yeah, but Elizabeth-" Hawk started, only to be cut off. Elizabeth was crying more earnestly now.
"Not to mention, it's my search for the Deadly Sins that brought me to Sir Meliodas, if not for that, you never would have fought Gillthunder and gotten seriously injured."
The Sins were watching the screen with sad looks on their faces. Baltra was especially affected. He never liked seeing any of his children die, but Elizabeth especially, since she was the youngest, and the one closest to him.
"And then you wouldn't have been in a position to nearly get killed by Golgius."
"I know you wanna cry right now." Meliodas said understandingly, "I get that. It's just, I also know how much you wanna protect this kingdom and it's people from the Holy Knights. Is a tear or two all it's gonna take to make you give up on that?"
Elizabeth turned to look at him, her eyes wide, her crying starting to slow.
"I made up my mind to search for the Seven Deadly Sins with you, and to stop the Holy Knights." Meliodas said, walking over and leaning down so that he was eye to eye with Elizabeth. "Even if you die somewhere along the way, I'll make sure to keep my promise to you."
"You would do that for me?"
The scene switched, a flashback. Meliodas was standing in the rubble of a city, a girl in armour sitting against a pillar in front of him, dead.
Meliodas sucked in a breath, squeezing his eyes closed and turning to hide his face in Ban's chest. Merlin frowned, concerned, and tightened her grip on his hand. The others looked at Meliodas, worried, but also angry that whoever brought them here would play with their emotions so freely.
Meliodas' voice continued, "We all die someday. But, as long as someone keeps a person's wishes alive, they won't die. Once you've decided to follow them, no matter how much you bleed, and even if your tears run dry, you stick to it." He said fiercely, kneeling down and pulling the girl into a hug.
Ban felt his shirt grow damp with Meliodas' tears, but all he did was pull him closer, rubbing one hand on his back, and the other through Meliodas' hair.
Merlin reached out with her unoccupied hand, and grabbed Gowthor. He held on tightly, hoping to comfort them both.
"That's what a knight stands for." Meliodas said, the flashback over. He walked away from Elizabeth.
The scene suddenly changed, showing Golgius on his horse, now out in the countryside. "That was a complete disaster!"
Meliodas took a moment to collect himself, just relaxing, happy to feel the presence of his Sins around him. They really were the most important people in his life. He wondered how he was going to have to face 10 long years without them.
"I didn't expect him to go that far!" Golgius pulled his horse to a stop at the bottom of a short cliff. "Well, it seems our welcoming committee is ready and waiting."
Two Holy Knights stood atop the cliff, staring down at Golgius.
The scene switched back to show Meliodas walking. "Well, guess we should head out to Baste."
"Do you plan on leaving Elizabeth behind? She hasn't come out since you carried that quack to his clinic."
Meliodas turned his face so he could see the screen. Narrowing his eyes at his future self.
"Don't be stupid, she's definitely better off staying here in town. The Holy Knights over in Baste are after her."
"Don't call me stupid! People who call people stupid are stupid!" Hawk pouted.
"Sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth ran up the street to them.
"What's up?"
"Here, I mended your scabbard for you while you were asleep!" She held it out to him. "I can't really attest to the quality though." She smiled.
"You're such a thoughtful person." Hawk told her.
"Yeah she is!" Diane said, sending Elizabeth a grin. Elizabeth blushed, but smiled back.
Meliodas swung it onto his back, sliding his sword into place. "Thanks, it looks like it's holding." He smiled at her.
"I'm glad. And on that note, let's get going." Meliodas looked at her with wide eyes.
Baltra chuckled, amused to see his daughter surprising Meliodas for once.
"I'm not a knight." Elizabeth said. "But I'm gonna keep on fighting too. So I can keep protecting the kingdom and it's people." She smiled at him. "Even if you were to die now, that still wouldn't change things at all."
"Well it seems like you gave a pretty good pep talk, huh, Captain." King said.
Meliodas laughed, "I guess so."
"Don't go killing me off yet, ok." Meliodas laughed. "Anyway, let's go."
"Right! Let's save Sir Ban."
"Not him." Meliodas said.
Elizabeth looked at him in surprise.
Ban sighed dramatically, "It's a sad day when your captain won't come save your life."
"You're immortal." King said, bemused.
"Yeah, and you seem to be doing perfectly fine."
"Yes. you look as though you are entertaining yourself."
Ban grinned, "All of those things are true."
"I think her name was Sennett, wasn't it? We've gotta make sure that we save the doctor's daughter first."
The Sins grinned at their Captain knowingly. He always was a sucker for people who needed help.
Elizabeth smiled at him, laughing as she ran to catch up. "What about Sir Ban?"
"As soon as he finds out we're all headed his way, I think he'll probably bust himself out."
"Aww, you know me so well." Ban laughed.
Meliodas laughed too. "Of course I do. I'm your captain."
Ban smiled softly at him. "Yeah."
"Oh, you really think so?"
The three of them jumped back in surprise as a giant foot stepped in the road in front of them. They looked up to see Diane.
"Diane?! What the heck are you doing way over here?"
She stared blankly down at him, not seeming to recognize anything, her eyes devoid of any emotion. Then she seemed to snap out of it, shaking her head.
"What are you doing here? You should still be in bed, trying to get a little rest. You know you shouldn't be outdoors like this!"
"Aw thanks Diane, you always worry about me."
"Of course I do!" Diane said indignantly, before sighing fondly at him, unable to stay mad when he smiled at her like that.
"Forget about me for a sec, are you doing okay?"
"What are you talking about? I feel fine."
"After you squashed all the bugs in Dalmally, you charged full speed ahead to Baste Prison!" Hawk said.
Diane looked confused. "Wait, I did?"
"What's wrong Lady Diane?"
"You really sure your alright, Diane?" Meliodas asked, his hand on his chin.
"Yeah, my head's just a little fuzzy."
A bell chimed and Diane gasped, her eyes becoming blank again. She looked at Meliodas and her vision changed. Where he was standing she saw a Holy Knight.
"Well, that's not good."
Meliodas looked at Diane worriedly.
"I am the Holy Knight Ruin. Member of the Weird Fangs and destroyer of the Seven Deadly Sins."
"There's a Holy Knight here! Captain, you go take care of the princess!" She looked around, not seeing Meliodas or the others. "Captain? Where did everybody go?"
Ruin laughed, "They are all at my mercy."
"Give the captain back right now!" Diane punched the Holy Knight sending him flying through the air.
Only it was actually Meliodas. Elizabeth and Hawk ran after him.
"Sir Meliodas, you didn't get hurt did you?"
Meliodas stood up, brushing dirt off his pants.
The Sins sighed in relief that he wasn't hurt. Diane looked on the verge of tears.
"Captain, I'm so sorry!"
"It's ok, Diane. Obviously something is messing with your mind."
She still didn't look happy, but she wasn't on the verge of tears anymore.
Meliodas looked frustrated that he couldn't comfort her more.
"What the heck made you go berserk out of the blue like that?"
"Lady Diane, Sir Meliodas is right in front of you!"
Diane didn't seem to hear them. She got into a battle stance,
"I'm gonna tell you here and now, I'm not losing to some Holy Knight!"
Meliodas looked at her closely, "Those eyes. She can't see us right now even if she wanted to."
"What are we supposed to do now?" Hawk asked, his voice soft in fear.
Meliodas turned, picked up Elizabeth and started running as fast as he could away from Diane.
"We run for starters."
"I had a feeling you were gonna say that!" Hawk yelled as he ran after them.
Diane ran after them, trying to hit them, eventually chasing them into a nearby forest.
The three runners gasped in surprise as they saw two people walking along a path directly in front of them.
"Crap! There are people around!" Hawk yelled.
"Hey!" Meliodas called out to them, "If you don't wanna die you better start running!"
The two, a father and his child, stood in fear at the sight of an angry Diane.
"You can't hide forever Holy Knight! And when I find you I'm gonna twist, tear open, and pulverize your armour right along with you!"
Meliodas had pulled everyone to safety, hiding behind a small hill.
"Help us!" The father said, shaking in fear.
"What's going on here?" Elizabeth asked, turning to face Meliodas. "Did something happen to Lady Diane when she went to Baste Prison?"
"Well whatever it was, it really made her nuts." He placed the child in Elizabeth's arms. "Look after this kid for a sec, okay?"
"Right."
Meliodas ran off.
Elizabeth wiped away the child's tears. "What were the two of you doing all the way out here?"
"You're so nice Elizabeth." Hawk smiled up at her.
"Totally."
Elizabeth grinned.
"We both work as shepherds in the area, and we were on the way home from the pasture. Please, I don't want anything bad to happen."
"Now don't worry, it's gonna be alright. He can fix this."
Meliodas hurtled towards Diane.
A bell clanged and his eyes turned as blank as Diane's.
"Oh no."
"Yup, that's bad."
"What? Where'd you come from?" Meliodas asked.
"I am the Holy Knight Ruin. Member of the Weird Fang and destroyer of the Seven Deadly Sins."
"Doesn't he have anything original to say?"
"That is indeed what he said to Diane earlier, word for word."
"You're the one who cast that weird spell on Diane aren't you?"
Hawk and Elizabeth watched the confrontation from their hiding spot.
"You know that is Diane, right?" Hawk said.
Meliodas and Diane started fighting in earnest.
"Turn her back to normal!" Meliodas yelled.
"This is hard to believe." Hawk said, "But I think that Meliodas is caught in the same illusion as Diane right now!"
Diane smashed her fist into the ground, sending giant pillars or rock shooting up into the sky. Meliodas avoided them with ease, but they send Elizabeth, Hawk, and the two civilians running for safety.
"Hurry up it's almost on top of us!" Hawk yelled.
Diane brought her hands up to her face, gasping in worry. King rubbed his hand up and down her arm, hoping to provide some comfort.
They shared tentative smiles.
Another Holy Knight watched them from afar, laughing. "Ruin has really outdone himself this time. I suppose I'd better get to work now, too."
Elizabeth and Hawk had gotten everyone away to a safe distance. They stood watching the dust cloud rise from all the fighting.
"What do we do, Elizabeth?"
"I'm not sure. If this goes on they'll die. How in the world can we stop this?!"
"Alright, scootch over King." Meliodas stood up, walking over to Diane, and pulling himself up to sit on the armrest. King slid down off the chair to make room, ending up in Gowthor's lap.
They looked at each other in slight surprise at their positions, but neither one moved. Gowthor wrapped his arms around King's waist. Knowing how much he cared about Diane. King smiled at him and laid his head on Gowthor's shoulder.
Meliodas leaned over so that he was resting against Diane's arm. They smiled at each other.
The scene switched to Baste Prison. Ban was walking down a hall of cells. Guards were running around, yelling to each other.
"What's with all the racket around here lately? It's like someone broke outta prison or something."
Elizabeth giggled. "You broke out of prison."
Ban smiled at her. "Ah, so I did."
A Holy Knight rose out of the shadows on the floor in front of Ban.
"Where do you think you're going, Ban of the Seven Deadly Sins?"
"Hey, what's up Holy Knight Jude." Ban said, seemingly completely unconcerned.
Jude slowly stalked towards Ban, his armour clanking. "I've come to destroy you. Prepare to take your last breath."
Merlin pursed her lips and grabbed Ban's hand tightly in her own. Ban looked at her in slight surprise, but her eyes remained firmly on the screen.
"So you wanna off me, huh? After all this time?" Ban joked, standing his ground, his posture slouched, and his hands tucked into his pockets.
"You have no further use to us. You've adequately served your purpose as the bait to lure the Captain of the Seven Deadly Sins here. Even at this very moment, two of the Seven Deadly Sin members, Dragon Sin Meliodas, and Serpent Sin Diane, are being eliminated at the hands of the Weird Fangs. And when I'm finished with you, that will bring the total to four Sins who no longer exist to wreak havoc upon this world."
Gowthor tightened his arms at the reminder of King's death. King brought his hands up to grab Gowthor's arms, rubbing them soothingly.
Ban laughed, "Well I'm all for your dream coming true, man."
"Who was it that captured you five years ago, and has been torturing you ever since? Surely you haven't forgotten?"
The Sins frowned protectively at the screen. Ban just shook his head fondly at them, use to their protectiveness.
"Okay, have a nice life." Ban said, as he started to walk past Jude.
A spear was plunged into his chest.
Merlin's other hand came up to grip at Ban's arm.
King closed his eyes.
Ban looked at Jude, his eyes wide as he stumbled back to lean against the wall. Then he smiled.