Chapter 1:The Dove Ascends
(10 Years Later)
Metal groaned with effort as a lone figure trudged up a hill, wearing a suit of rusty armor. The figure put one foot in front of the other, struggling to keep any kind of pace with the heavy armor on. The hill started to mellow out and the rusty armored-figure looked out to the horizon as it reached the top. The sun had risen in the east and made the figure squint as it looked through the helmet. There was a small building off in the distance, and the figure started to walk again so that it could get there. As it was going downhill, the figure in the rusty armor stumbled as it's foot struck a rock and fell onto the ground. Going down the hill faster and faster, the figure in rust started to roll and tumble down the increasingly steep hill. Finally, as it neared the bottom edge of the hill, the rolling stopped and the knight lay perfectly still. The Rust Knight looked up into the sky as the sun started to fill it with brighter color. The figure's eyes started to close and their mind slowly drifted into unconsciousness...
/
Drip. Drop.
Drip. Drop.
SPLASH!
The figure wearing the rusted armor coughed as water was thrown in it's face. It was a girl with long silver hair, which she pushed behind her ear as she coughed into her hand. She looked side to side to find that she had been moved under a tree which she was propped up against. She looked forward to see a boy. He looked about the same age as she was, maybe a few years older, had blue eyes and spiky brown hair that sprouted into all different directions seemingly, especially up. He wore a robe of a deep ocean blue with a worn vest underneath and pants with loose ankle holes. His right hand was sheltered in a gauntlet, which currently held a wanted canteen. The two looked each other in the eye for a few moments...
"Are you alright?" The boy asked, capping the top onto the canteen.
"Yes I'm…*cough cough,…I'm quite alright." The girl muttered, coughing into her hand.
The boy stood and offered his hand. The girl took it and stood up shakily, looking at the young man who helped her up. The boy returned her gaze, glancing at the pieces of metal on the ground next to them.
"I hope you don't mind, I took those off you. It wasn't…your size exactly."
"No they weren't. I appreciate your help Sir."
The boy chucked before rubbing the back of his head,"I hardly think Sir is necessary."
"Well what should I call you then? Lord?"
"No I don't think that that's-"
"Mr.?"
"Um, no that's a little-"
"I hardly think Master would be fitting since I've just met you…"
"Miss!" The boy exclaimed, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly, "You may just call me…White."
"White? But that's not much of a name. And your hair is brown."
"It's my name for now…so what were you doing in this armor?"
"Does that mean you're actual name is Brown?"
"Um…no…Miss?"
"Well alright, sorry. I was looking for the Seven Deadly Sins. I need their help."
"The Seven Deadly Sins?" White exclaimed, "Aren't they the Knights who were exiled from the Kingdom of Liones ten years ago?"
"Yes…they are."
"Why would you be looking for those criminals? They haven't been seen since then, and some suggest that they died sometime ago-"
"No!" The girl screamed, before coughing into her hand.
White leaned back for a second, startled, "No what?"
The girl cleared her breath, "There's no way that they could have died. My father said that they were the strongest Knights in the kingdom. People like that wouldn't have just died!"
White thought for a moment for a second before responding, "Are you looking for them because of the Holy Knights?"
The girl nodded slowly as she looked down at the ground, "Ever since they decided to declare war on the entire continent of Britania, they've been causing so much suffering."
White looked at the girl in understanding, "True. They've trying to conquer Britania ever since their Great Holy Knight was murdered by…whoever it was that murdered him."
The silver-haired girl looked at him, "Do you think that the Seven Deadly Sins murdered the Great Holy Knight?"
White thought for a few moments on his next chosen words when he heard a small "clink". He looked behind him to see two people approaching on horseback that wore armor and capes. He put a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Hide somewhere, there are Holy Knights coming."
/
Two men came up to the small tree where White was waiting, slumped against the tree with his eyes closed to make it appear as he was napping. While he peeked through his eye lids, he watched the two approaching Holy Knights. One much taller than the other wore a rapier at his side, while the other carried a large broadsword on his back in black armor. They came up to the small tree, where a small forest stood not far behind it. The two Holy Knights both looked down at White, before speaking through their helms. The one with the sword spoke first,
"We're looking for the Rust Knight. Have you seen him at all recently?"
White shrugged, "No. Hasn't been much of anything around lately."
The knight in black armor scoffed, "I'd hardly say that. The knight was recently reported to have been seen tumbling down a hill very near here."
White felt a bead of sweat travel downwards behind his ear, "Whelp, haven't seen any Knights around her-"
"Also," the knight interjected with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "There was a report of a young man about 18 helping the Rust Knight after he collapsed."
"Uh-oh." White felt another few beads of sweat go south of his neckline. Without further warning, a metal hand gripped his neck and pushed him up the tree, a loud "crash" echoing across the plains. The taller knight was holding White by the neck now as he struggled to breath. The Knight with the large sword dismounted from his horses slowly and looked at White, "Where is the Rust Knight?"
White's heart beat quicker as less air went down his throat and before he could get some half-baked lie out of his mouth, a voice cried out.
"I'm here!"
All three of them turned to see the girl with silver hair coming out of a series of bushes to their right just in front of the forest. She waved at them, holding one of the gauntlets that went with the Rust armor she had been wearing earlier. The grip around White's throat released and he hit the ground with another loud "thud". The two Knights walked towards the girl, both of them resting hand on their weapons. The black armored knight spoke first again,
"So," the knight muttered said, "The rumors were false. The Rust Knight was not some sort of ghost of the Seven Deadly Sins, but rather the missing Princess Elizabeth herself."
"The Princess…" White processed as he rubbed his throat daintily, "Surely he doesn't mean the one Princesses of Liones?!"
"Now then Princess," the Black Knight said as he approached the surrendering girl, "I think it's safe to say that you'll be coming with us back to the Capital."
Elizabeth attempted to run for the forest, but the taller figure in the red armor stopped her by grabbing her wrist. She struggled with no success as the knight held her in place firmly. The Black Knight marched forward, having drawn his sword. He dragged it across the ground, making a thin trail in the grass and dirt. White stumbled to his feet and ran after the two Holy Knights. Just as White became within arms-length of the Black Knight, the man swung his broadsword back around in an arc. White went into a limbo position for a moment and ran past the knight. The knight in black chased after White, rapidly swinging his sword in different arcs and angles. White managed to get out of the way of them all, sidestepping one swing, ducking from another, and jumping when the blade swung at his feet. White grasped the other Knight's hand and tucked when he finally reached the princess. The two held their grips, neither of them willing to budge from a finger. The Black Knight raised his sword above his head, the path of his sword poised at Elizabeth.
The Black Knight brought his sword down and it cracked the earth. On one side, the tall Holy Knight stood away from his comrade's blade, reaching for his own. White held Elizabeth at his side, one hand pushing away the startled and surprised Princess, the other reaching behind his back under his cloak. He pulled out a circular shield with small gems outlined around the edge and the symbol of a sword in the center. Both Holy Knights regarded the shield before the Black Knight spoke, "That's a fairly fancy piece of metal."
"Thank you," White said, pulling the shield up over his heart, "I don't suppose either of you could let us go?"
"No, I wouldn't think you'd even ask. You had enough brains to not mention that you had met the Rust Knight," The Black Knight said with apathy, "Not enough however to realize that all the Holy Knights of Britania are looking for Princess Elizabeth under the orders of Great Holy Knight Dreyfus..."
White didn't hear the rest of what the Black Knight said. His mind became fuzzy and he felt his arm muscles sag and his shield droop. Dreyfus. It had been a long time since he had heard that name. A picture of a man with long brown hair over his shoulders and a sneer across his face, bloody sword in hand. Reality came back to White as the Black Knight drove his blade right into the center of White's shield. The shield protected any lethal damage, but White and Princess Elizabeth were pushed back from the force of the attack. They crashed backwards into the forest, ripping through multiple trees.
White struggled to his feet, finding that he and the Princess had landed just underneath a cliff, at the other end of the forest. White saw the Princess next to him and put his fingers on her neck. He sighed with relief to find that she still had a pulse even though she wasn't conscious. He took the shield off his arm and reequipped it to the latch under his cloak. He knelt down and picked up Elizabeth, careful to hold her without touching anywhere he shouldn't, and put her in his shoulder. He put his foot on a stone and started to climb the edge of the cliff. The beginning of the climb was treacherous, but it only became harder. White started to sweat more as the sun beat down on his back. He adjusted the Princess whenever he needed to and carried her by her legs, her head hanging behind his back. There were moments when he almost lost his grip, but stopped and readjusted, making sure that he didn't rush and fall. Just as he was almost halfway, he heard the Princess begin to stir,
"Uhh...*cough *cough," Elizabeth regained consciousness and gasped, seeing how she was facing down a cliff, "What is this?"
"Good to hear that you're alright," White smiled as he tested the sensitivity of another rock, "And we're currently climbing up a cliff in order to get away from those Holy Knights."
The princess felt realization and panic begin to set in at the same time, "That's right...you protected me from those two Holy Knights. But...why? Why're you doing this? I just met you...and after I managed to get all the way out here by myself."
The princess started to have tears well up in her eyes, that fell down White's back and to the ground.
"But then," Elizabeth started to say again, panting, "I met you and here you are helping me even though you disagree with what I'm trying to do! Why're you helping me?!"
The last question echoed off the side of the cliff and caused tremors inside White's mind and soul. The princess coughed a few times as White searched his heart for the answer. He really didn't know why he had gotten involved in all of this exactly. Except for one undeniable truth that he had known for most of his life...
"It's a Knight's duty to protect those who need protection, to help those who are helpless, and to defend those who cannot defend for themselves. When I was a boy, I learned that that is the duty charged with each and every Holy Knight. But ever since six years ago...no, since the murder of Great Holy Knight Zaratras, that duty has been cast aside. I will uphold that duty because it is what I believe in."
Princess Elizabeth looked over her shoulder and up at the young man carrying her up the cliff and her lips formed a small smile, "Thank yo-"
The Princess was cut off, as a javelin soared through the air and struck inches away from where White had placed his foot. White jolted with surprise and looked over his shoulder to see who threw the weapon. It was the two Holy Knights, the one in Black armor had a satchel on his horse, containing seven javelins. The knight pulled out another one and leaned back with his arm in the air, angling the weapon. White started to climb across the side, hoping to mislead the knight in black armor about where he would climb next. This didn't succeed however, as the Holy Knight threw another javelin and it went right through White's dominant hand, his right one. White grunted and breathed in from the pain. His loss of focus caused his feet to slip as the Princess and him hung by his impaled hand.
"Sir White!" The Princess gasped in concern as White struggled with great effort and frustration not to let go of Elizabeth. He tried to regain his footing on the side of the cliff with no success, his worry starting to corrupt his focus. The two Holy Knights that stood near the base of the cliff looked at their dangling prey.
"The Princess is wanted alive isn't she?" The Black Knight asked his comrade, who nodded in response.
"Well then," the Knight started again, "Guess I can still get rid of the pest of a boy," he said as he pulled another Javelin out of his collection.
White struggled to keep hold of the Princess as the flesh of his hand started to wear. The javelin was stuck in the rock, but every time his hand slipped even a little, the flesh of his hand would tear. White gritted his teeth as he tolerated the pain,
"Princess Elizabeth, I need you to do something."
The Princess looked up at White the best she could as she was still dangling with her face facing certain death by falling, "I'll do what I can Sir White."
"I need you to climb up me, and hang on tightly so I can use my free hand."
The Princess' heart beat a little faster at the request, but her face set with determination, "I will try Sir White." Princess Elizabeth gripped the back of White's cloak tightly as she attempted to do as she instructed. White lessened his grip on the princess so she could climb onto his back. However, it was all too sudden and her legs flipped over White's back and the Princess suddenly found herself hanging by his cloak. White choked as the clasp around his cloak started to cut off his breathing.
"What are they doing?" The Black Knight chuckled, amused how the Princess was almost seemingly trying to fall to her death. The taller knight stood still and quiet, not uttering a sound or a word as his comrade readied himself to throw another javelin.
Princess Elizabeth managed to keep hold of the cloak, but her heart started to hurt as her mind flooded with panic and worry, "Sir White! I don't want to be the death of you, let me-"
"Enough" White said, his words pulsing with determination as he tried to channel his frustration and stress into strength. With his free hand, he fumbled with his vest and pulled at the top buttons leading up from his heart to neck. Failing to open them neatly, he tore the buttons from their sewings. Elizabeth looked up at the sound of tear, startled with the possibility that the cloak was wearing out, only to see White ripping part of his vest and revealing that part of his bare chest. Around his neck was a necklace with 5 small beads around them. Above where the necklace looped was a tattoo of a dove, it's wings raised to their full extent on either side. White pulled the necklace's beads to his mouth, holding one in particular, and began to whisper something inaudible for Elizabeth to hear.
"Mass creature of stone and stature, I beckon your strength," White whispered, the small bead in his hand glowing, "As one of the five of this treasure, I call upon your power. Activate: Guardian."
The cliff side rumbled and shook, sending small quakes even to the two Holy Knight standing not too far off from the cliff.
"What is this sorcery?" The Black Knight demanded to know, saying his question without anyone to answer it well.
In a great flash of light, everyone and everything was momentary blinded. Even the nearby trees leaned backwards from the harshness of the level of magic being used. When the light faded, a large man made of stone stood at the side of the cliff. One hand resting on the cliff side, the man put his other rock hand underneath White and Elizabeth and used his thumb and index finger to pluck the javelin out of the cliff. This set the both of them free and White grasped his hand with a hole, Elizabeth staring up at the Rock Giant with awe. Looking closer, Elizabeth noticed that there were definite features on the large man. His head was bald and his face had very clear features, that of another human. It was as if one hundred stone masons spent several years crafting this man of rock. White looked at the large man and nodded his head. Before Elizabeth had time to blink, the Giant knelt down and scooped up the two Holy Knights. Rearing its arm back, it chucked the Knights far away, the only sound being a large "whoosh" from when the Giant had thrown the Knights and the echoing "boom" that followed seconds later when the Knights made their landing.
"Incredible..." Elizabeth muttered with amazement, as the Giant then reached up with the hand they were on and anchored his hand to the top of a cliff. Elizabeth and White both stepped off the rocky hand. White whispered again to his necklace and another flash of light blasted out. When Princess Elizabeth could see again, the Giant was gone with no trace.
"That was...incredible Sir White," Elizabeth said with awe, "Is that your power?"
White made a painful smile as he started to wrap his hand with some bandages he had pulled out, "Not exactly, but it's something I'm able to use."
Princess Elizabeth looked at White for another moment or so, her hand over her chest as it heaved with difficulty, "Sir White, I cannot thank you enough for saving my li-"
"I do think they murdered Zaratras."
Elizabeth was quiet a moment after that, "You mean the Seven Deadly Sins?"
White sighed heavily, "Yes them. I think this turned out to be some sort of elaborate scheme by them. However...I know that you're trying to help Britania. Criminals or no criminals, I'll help you as well."
The Princess' smile shone through her face for a moment before being clouded again by doubt, "Are you sure? Those Holy Knights were after me only originally...you could still escape this fight."
"I don't like fights," White said promptly, "I think that this war could be solved some other way. But yes, I'm sure. I will help you return the Kingdom of Liones to something honorable and hopeful again."
Elizabeth's smile returned like that sun rise of every morning, "Thank you so much Si*cough cough,...ehem...Sir White*cough cough..." The Princess coughed into her hand as her legs shook with recoil. White caught her by the shoulders so that she wouldn't fall and lifted an arm over his own shoulder. They walked shoulder to shoulder through the forest and away from the cliff. White looked further out and saw a village. "Kaynes." White thought to himself, remembering that it had been nearby before he ran after the Rust Knight. Up closer however was a house or a tavern sitting on a slightly taller hill. It was pointed at the top, giving it the appearance of a hat.
White blanched and laughed uneasily, "Let's hope that place is open and friendly."
/
The knight in black had never been so humiliated. After that man of rock launched him and his comrade across the horizon, they landed in a pile of manure in some farm house in some village. The knight in black scraped off the shit off his armor with his gauntlet, and trudged out into the fields where you comrade was waiting. He pressed on his chest and winced, feeling that his ribs had been broken. "Great," he thought while pushing through the pain, "Something else to add to my arm and my foot."
"That kid's gonna get it, I swear it on my blade as a Holy Knight." The Black Knight grumbled, visibly angered as he trudged towards the taller Holy Knight that stood in the fields.
"That's fine by me," the taller Knight said, "But never forget, I get to kill Meliodas."
And that's the first official chapter. Hope you all like it. Sorry it took little longer than I thought originally, hopefully some of you will think it was worth the wait.
