A/N: One month later, after the worst block I've ever had, I have one word: FINALLY!

Thank you so much for reading! :D

.o0o.

Chaos Continued

Meliodas quickly followed Gilthunder out of the South Tower, maintaining a hand on Elizabeth to keep her steady. They moved back into the courtyard and Meliodas said, "Can you get us there fast?"

Gilthunder nodded, but before he could raise his sword, there was a shout. He turned and saw Margaret rushing towards them, and unable to help himself, he stepped towards her. "Your Highness," he said, "stay here. The Holy Knights will keep you safe."

"What are you doing?" she hissed at him angrily. She hated it when he used a formal title with her. "You aren't healed yet! And the king banished you—you're not even allowed to be in the city—"

"I'm doing my duty," he said in a low tone. "To the king and to Liones."

The princess shook her head forcefully, reaching out and gripping his arms. "You are always putting your duty ahead of yourself! Just please, stay here—"

"You'll be safe here, Margaret," he answered firmly, pulling away. He turned as she protested and walked with long strides back to where Meliodas and Elizabeth were waiting. Without another word, he lifted his sword. A bolt of lightning shot to the ground, and a moment later, they were gone.

Margaret inhaled sharply. The knights left to guard approached, but she ignored their inquiries. She could only see Gilthunder's body on the ground: bleeding after being run through by Hendrickson; dying after the Dark Nebula attack; collapsing on her own father's sword.

She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her hands into fists as she tried to shake the image away. There was another huge explosion from the city's walls, but she stood there motionless until she heard one of the knights yell, "The Seven Deadly Sins are attacking the city!"

Her eyes flew open and she turned and shouted, taking the knights by surprise. "The Seven Deadly Sins? Here in Liones?"

"Y-yes," one stammered. "The king is there now—"

"Get every knight left," she said coldly, "and head to the castle. Meliodas, the captain of the Seven Deadly Sins, is on his way there. Arrest him and Princess Elizabeth for treason." They stood in shock until she shouted, "Go! Now!"

The knights scrambled away, calling for the others, and she slowly made her way back into the tower. She had known not to trust them; she could not trust anyone. Not even her own sister.

.o0o.

The king gave a signal, and the Holy Knights advanced. The Sins were soon surrounded five-to-one. Jericho quickly became breathless fighting off one attack after another. She was purely in defensive mode, having not even a moment to try her own offensive strike.

She saw King send Chastiefol flying at two Holy Knights, who dodged the spear as they sent their own combination attack after him. To her right, Diane called her own commands, sending the ground itself flying as the Holy Knights scrambled out of the way. To her left, Merlin sent bursts of magic in every direction, keeping the knights from advancing. Her speed was an amazing sight, and Jericho could hardly track her movements. Gowther sent out a blinding arrow at a group coming through the middle, and then moved to calmly stand over them as they stopped, immobile.

Jericho blocked a magic attack and stumbled backwards. The Sins were having little trouble keeping the knights at bay, but she was quickly realizing she was becoming overwhelmed. Each time she avoided one strike, another was waiting, and she was shaky and breathless from the effort of keeping herself alive.

A Holy Knight came from her side and swung a broadsword at her. She shouted in anger and dodged it, thrusting her own lance at the knight. He blocked her, but Jericho felt a welcome rush of adrenaline. Her frustration from the past few days boiled over and she poured her anger into her attack, finally sending the knight to the ground with a crash.

"Ha!" she shouted, turning to take on the next, but drew up short. A few yards away, Ban took out a Holy Knight with a furious punch, pausing only a moment to flex his fist. Then he shouted, "Baltra! Come fight yourself!"

"Ban!" she yelled, swiping at a knight who had stepped between them. The knight jumped to avoid her weapon and she used the opportunity to sprint towards the Fox Sin. "You can't! He's the king!"

"Back off, Jericho," he growled. He swung his staff, slowly stalking towards where the king stood. Baltra held his sword tightly in his hand, the bright flames flashing as he twisted his wrist. He had a small smile on his face, which was otherwise stone.

Ban leapt forward, bringing his weapon down over his shoulder to strike at the king. Baltra brought his own sword up to stop him, and there was a roar as they crashed together. Jericho was knocked over by the immense wave of energy, and as she coughed and looked up, she saw them locked together.

"Ban! No!" More shouts came, and Merlin threw up a barrier against an attack heading towards her. She and King both moved towards Ban, and with a flick of his hand, King sent the Guardian barreling towards them. Ban leapt out of the way, and the Guardian jumped on top of the king, pinning him to the ground.

"What were you thinking?" yelled King as he flew at him. "You can't fight the king!"

Ban's arm went out in a flash, his staff sending King flying backwards. He turned back to Baltra and stopped short as Merlin stepped in between them. "Are we doing this now?" Ban chuckled, raising an eyebrow.

"King is right," Merlin said evenly. "Until we know what is going on, you can't harm him."

"Like hell." Ban's staff snapped again, but Merlin's hand shot out and caught it before the stroke fell. Ban heaved hard on the weapon, pulling the mage off balance so he could swing her away from his target.

He turned around and yelled, "Don't tell me—" He was cut off as the king's sword sliced through his chest. Dark flames flared outwards from the blade as Ban coughed up blood. Jericho screamed in surprise. "Your Majesty! No!"

"This is—joke—" Ban gasped for oxygen as the king pulled his blade slowly out of the Sin's body. Then he fell to the ground as blood pooled underneath him.

The Guardian, having been tossed to the side, returned to its first form and swiveled to King's side. "Your Majesty… why?" King asked. He balled his fists and floated upward.

"This isn't the king," Gowther said. The rest looked at each other in surprise as Baltra stepped over Ban's body. "It's only half King Baltra."

"Half?" Jericho cried. "What does that mean?"

No one had the chance to answer, because Baltra swiped his sword, sending the black flame flying towards them. The Sins jumped out of the way, and Jericho shouted as she was snatched into the air by Diane. "Watch out, Jericho!" Diane yelled.

Some of the other Holy Knights caught the blast from the flame, and there was sudden confusion as smoke and debris flew everywhere. Diane and King went back on the defensive as the knights redoubled their efforts, not realizing it was the king who had attacked them. Jericho moved to go to Ban, and came face-to-face with the smiling Baltra.

"You are not a Sin," he said pleasantly, thrusting his sword forward. She yelped and jumped, narrowly escaping the sharp edge. However, the flames caught her arm as she spun, and Jericho fell to the ground with a scream. The pain licked up through her shoulder, and she clutched her arm to her chest in agony.

Merlin stepped next to her and put out her hand. "Your Majesty—" she called tightly, sending another barrier up to block herself and Jericho from another swing. The flames danced across the invisible wall, and Baltra growled, "Do you really think this will stop me?"

"Gowther!" she shouted. Darts of light flew through the air as he called, "Gatling Jack," piercing the Holy Knights still standing. Everything became still for a moment as the knights froze in place. Ban began climbing to his feet as the rest of the Sins moved to advance.

Gowther kept his arm outstretched as he pointed his other hand at Baltra. He began to call Searchlight, but the king stepped forward and severed his arm off. "Get back," he growled, raising his sword to cleave into Gowther.

Jericho watched through narrowed eyes and gritted teeth as the others called to him to stop. But then the king froze, blood exploding out from him. The blade of a Holy Knight's sword burst through his chest, and after a suspended moment, Baltra fell forward in a crumpled heap, the flame from his own weapon suddenly snuffed out.

Behind him, Ban pulled the sword out of the king's body and tossed it to the side. He looked up at his shocked teammates and shrugged. "He started it."

.o0o.

Elizabeth was grateful for Meliodas' firm hand on her. Her head swam with the powerful force of magic used to propel them into the castle. With a flash of light they arrived, and she stumbled into Meliodas. She gripped his shoulders to steady herself as his hands grabbed at her hips. "Are you all right?" he asked her sharply.

She nodded, and after a moment, moved to stand on her own. They were back in the east wing. Elizabeth moved away from Meliodas' hands and walked quickly towards the study where she had left her father with Prince Lucius. She burst through the door and found the room empty. She ran to the door of the anteroom, swinging it open to check inside. There was no sign of her father or the prince.

Elizabeth returned to the study to find Meliodas and Gilthunder waiting. "They kept him—my father—in here…" Her voice trailed off as she fought back a sob. "We have to find him."

"What are you talking about?" Gilthunder pressed. "Who has been ruling Liones, if it wasn't your father, the king?"

"I don't know," she whispered, and Meliodas strode forward. He took her by the hand and said, "We'll find him, I promise. "

Elizabeth nodded and they returned to the corridor. "Which way?" Meliodas asked.

She looked around, trying to remember where she went. She had run in such a panic, she didn't know which turns or which stairs she took. Frustrated with herself, she led them hesitantly through past one room after another. The castle was growing darker with the steadily approaching evening, and the hallways were eerily quiet, empty of soldiers and servants.

"We're going in circles," Gilthunder finally said after climbing another silent staircase. "Perhaps we should split up."

"I won't leave Elizabeth," Meliodas said, but Elizabeth gasped and hurried ahead. They followed her on her heels until they came upon Howzer, leaning against the wall, unmoving. His face was drawn and he held a hand to a dark wound in his shoulder. Elizabeth fell to her knees next to him, tilting his head towards her with gentle hands. "Sir Howzer," she called softly. "Can you hear me?"

"Princess?" He opened his eyes, and they landed on each of the three, bright with pain. "The king… his sword, it was made of flames."

Gilthunder pursed his lips and nodded. "It's what he used on me, too. How can the king have such dark power?"

No one answered. The men watched Elizabeth pull the brace from his shoulder. Howzer winced as the armor was removed, letting out a deep breath as he steadied himself. The princess gently placed her hands over the wound, gasping when she felt the burning heat emanating from it. She closed her eyes and poured her energy forward, wishing him to be healed.

After a long moment, Gilthunder turned to Meliodas and said quietly, "How could there be an imposter and no one know? Merlin herself was here and did not suspect." The captain did not answer, keeping his eyes focused solely on Elizabeth as she worked. Realizing he was not getting an answer, the Holy Knight muttered, "How can we defeat an enemy when we don't even know what it is?"

Elizabeth blocked out the whispers behind her and focused on the wound under her hands. It burned to the touch, and she had to grit her teeth against the heat and the scorching sensations. She was still unsure in her ability, so she simply wanted him healed, imagining the burn disappearing as the cut stitched closed. When she had done this before, she had always felt the body responding, and a surge of energy that seemed to move up her spine and down her arms. But this time, the wound resisted. It felt as though her power was being poured through a sieve, only a small portion of it filtering through to Howzer.

She opened her eyes and sat back. Howzer's face looked a bit calmer, and the bleeding had stopped. But there was still a terrible scorch mark on his chest, and the gash had only closed a fraction. She looked down at her bloody hands, clenching them into fists. "This isn't working," she said sadly. Elizabeth's eyes met Howzer's, whose had finally opened. "I'm so sorry," she breathed, a tear slipping down her cheek. "You saved me and I—"

"Stop right there!" They all turned at the shout, and a band of Holy Knights surrounded them, weapons drawn. "You are all under arrest!"

"By whose authority?" Gilthunder asked incredulously.

"Princess Margaret," the leader answered. Gilthunder immediately tensed, but Meliodas said nonchalantly, "Guys, this really isn't a good time."

"You're under arrest for treason, Meliodas of the Seven Deadly Sins. You and Princess Elizabeth."

Meliodas sighed. "Yeah, I don't think so." The knight stepped forward, and so did he. Meliodas easily avoided a swing and grabbed him by the arm, bowling him over despite being half his size. With the leader pinned to the floor, Meliodas regarded the rest of them easily. "Like I said, this isn't a good time."

"Go!" the leader shouted, his voice muffled by the floor. The rest of the knights advanced, and for a moment Gilthunder and Meliodas were set upon by all of them at once. Elizabeth turned frantically back to Howzer. "Can you stand?"

She didn't wait for him to answer, instead grabbing him by the arm and hauling him up with all of her might. She pulled the groaning knight away, slipping down the hallway away from the fray. "Elizabeth! Wait!" Meliodas called after her, but she ignored his shout and pushed Howzer ahead. There was a small staircase that only the servants used, obscured in the wall, and she dragged him down the stairs, both of them stumbling in the darkness. When they reached the bottom, she continued to press him forward, until they reached a small opening.

Together they toppled into the throne room, Howzer collapsing on hands and knees on the floor. Elizabeth crouched over him, but immediately looked up as she heard footsteps echo in the room.

The false king was crossing the room towards them, and Elizabeth scrambled up, standing in front of Howzer. She trembled slightly but remained resolute as she shouted, "Don't come any closer!"

He laughed and shook his head. "You are truly something, princess. How in the world did you survive that fall?"

"Where is my father?" she demanded. He turned and swept his hand behind him, and Elizabeth followed with her gaze. On the floor, unconscious, were both Baltra and Lucius.

"No!" she cried, taking a step forward, then hesitating. Elizabeth looked back at the false king, her shoulders shaking as she tried to steady her breathing. "Why are you doing this?"

"I told you, my dear," he answered pleasantly. "We all must do what we are put here to do. Nothing more, nothing less."

"And what were you put here to do?" came a voice behind her. Elizabeth sagged in relief, turning to see Meliodas stepping through the doorway. He walked in a curved arc, circling along the wall of the room. "It looks to me as though you only came here to cause trouble."

The king regarded him without moving. For the first time, it seemed to Elizabeth as though his smile had faltered. "This world is proving even more interesting than we had imagined," he finally said.

Meliodas frowned. "Am I supposed to know what that means?"

"Surely you must understand," he huffed.

"Sorry, can't help you." Meliodas put one hand behind his back, as the other drew his sword slowly outward. "Have we talked enough, or are you ready to surrender?"

The king laughed, causing a shudder to go up Elizabeth's back. "How about if I give you a choice, instead?" He drew his own sword, the flames instantly bursting to life. "You can have me, or the princess."

He flung his arm out, and the flame shot forwards towards Elizabeth. Before she could even scream, Meliodas was there in an instant, pushing her out of the way and preparing to use Full Counter.

But the flame snapped back, and Meliodas jerked back as well, drawing his power back in to return to him. The king spun his head, a cry of agony escaping him. Elizabeth had fallen to her knees with Meliodas' push, and she looked up in horror, covering her ears with her hands at the awful sound. "Brother!" he wailed.

Meliodas moved forward to strike, but his blade pierced nothing. The false king was gone.