Accidentally made this a really long chapter! So... enjoy ^^"
Warnings: Injuries, Blood, Bugs, Minor character deaths (the Weird Fangs don't have a good time), lmk if I need to add any others!
Dalmary wasn't too large a town, the buildings more packed together towards the center and spacious around the edges. Travelling during the day had its benefits, though; namely, people were busy and out of their homes.
The small group stayed just outside the town's limits. It was dead silent, at least, for two of the members.
"It seems so… quiet," Hawk eventually said, shattering said quiet.
Zeldris made a soft, disagreeing sound, glancing first to Gelda then to Meliodas, sharing a look with his older brother. It was anything but quiet for the three, a low and steady hum filling the air and never once ceasing since they left the tavern. It was so frustrating, the constant buzz and still not knowing the source. Neither Zeldris or Meliodas had ever heard such an annoying sound in all their years, and judging by the fact Gelda hadn't mentioned anything, her own irritation seeping onto her face.
Elizabeth frowned at the three's expressions, glancing around. Just like Hawk, she couldn't really hear anything.
No, that wasn't entirely right. She could hear something now, but it was really really faint.
Her brows furrowed and frown deepened, the sound slowly growing louder. Elizabeth looked around again, squinting. She couldn't see anything, and she understood why they all seemed more on edge than they had assured her they'd be earlier.
"Let's just get to Baste," Elizabeth mumbled, standing a bit straighter and walking a bit faster. The others increased their pace with her, heading towards the prison looming on just the other side of town.
They didn't get much closer to Baste, a scream cutting through the low humming. More shrieks soon followed it, coming from within Dalmary, and before Elizabeth could say a word they were all sprinting towards the town's center. Gelda, Zeldris, and Hawk were much faster than Elizabeth and Hawk, dipping between buildings and nearly crashing into walls in their haste to find the source of distress. As they got closer to their goal, the yells for help and cries of pain mixed seamlessly with the buzzing to the point it was near impossible to distinguish which was which.
Elizabeth lost sight of the other three, weaving through people rushing away in tears and she couldn't stop to ask what was going on.
She didn't have to wait long to find out, skidding to a stop upon seeing a massive swarm in the center of town and steadily growing, chasing after civilians. Her heart was racing, lungs desperately trying to take in air but soon all she could breathe in were those screeching bugs, sending her into a coughing fit.
"Elizabeth?!"
"Hawk?" Elizabeth managed to cough out, eyes narrowed towards the ground. She managed to spot a bit of pink. "Hawk!" Everything was so loud, and there were more people still in the swarm than she would ever expect, fumbling around and trying to find their way out. "Hawk, get people out of here!"
The bugs swarming only began to hurt more, no longer just existing in such close proximity and trying to deafen them all, but starting to bite and tear at her body. She muffled a whimper into her hand, reaching out with her free one and grasping for the nearest person.
It took a few seconds, and she squished more bugs in her palm than anything purely by accident, but she managed to grab someone and pulled them close. "Grab anyone near you, and follow me!" She hoped she was louder than the bugs, but didn't wait to find out, stumbling backwards towards where she came. The person followed without resisting, hacking and flailing their free arm about, and Elizabeth prayed to the goddesses that they'd be able to grab someone else.
She bumped into a few more people, nearly tripped over another, and started shoving them towards the edges of town. The swarm was barely getting any better, and just how many bugs were there? Surely there hadn't been this many originally, and starting in the center of town? How did no one panic until just now? A swarm this big of these wretched creatures could be seen and heard miles away.
It eventually thinned enough for her to see a bit more clearly, and she booked it, dragging with her the people she had grabbed with a shocking strength. Her body screamed as each cut from the bugs scraped against the torn fabric of her uniform, but she didn't slow down until there were just a few bugs around. They were swatted and killed with no hesitation.
She slumped against a wall alongside a little kid, gasping for breath and she had never been so thankful for clear air, her lungs practically singing their happiness from leaving the swarm.
Elizabeth looked around the corner of the building, and she couldn't see much, just the occasional person bursting through the worst of the bugs and scrambling to get to the edges of town. There was a small chime and a whimper behind her, and Elizabeth turned to see the little kid curled in on themself. They hugged their staff close, a little bell adorning it.
"Hey now," she started, sliding back to sit next to them. "It'll be alright." She reached out and squeezed their shoulder, smiling down at the kid when they looked up. They sniffled.
"R-Really?"
"Yeah! But- But are you hurt?" she asked, looking over the slightly ripped clothes they wore. They shook their head, and Elizabeth sighed. "Good, that- that's good."
The others she had pulled from the swarm had left already, sprinting further away. Really, she should grab the kid and run as well. Her body was just refusing to move right now, she needed a few more minutes before trying to run again.
She took a deep breath, sparing another glance around the corner. The swarm wasn't growing anymore, a few stray bugs finding their way back and rejoining the mass. They were still incredibly loud, and so close Elizabeth couldn't see anyone. There wasn't anyone near the outskirts, at least.
Elizabeth really hoped the others weren't in the middle of that. She could - and maybe should - go check, but… but what if they weren't, and she just ran in there for no reason at all?
"Elizabeth!"
Her head shot around, and she grinned upon seeing Hawk, a little scratched up but otherwise fine.
"Hawk! Thank goodness!" She pushed herself away from the wall, stumbling a little and almost falling on Hawk when she tripped but he helped steady her. "Have you seen the others?"
Hawk shook his head. "Maybe they're on the- is that fire?!"
His question was followed by a horrid screech, many horrid screeches, actually, and Elizabeth whipped around, jaw dropping. Starting from the center and slowly moving outwards, the bugs were catching on fire, an awful smell filling the air as they burned.
"You bitch!"
Elizabeth did not scream when Zeldris flew past her, shouting profanities as he hit the ground multiple times before slowing. He was breathing heavy, hand over his chest and he was bleeding-
"Sir Zeldris!" Elizabeth took a step towards him, but she didn't get the chance to reach him because something launched itself at Zeldris and Zeldris had only a moment to dodge the attack. She almost didn't realize that it was Meliodas attacking Zeldris, but once she did, her confusion overpowered any kind of fear she had been feeling. Well, most of it at least.
"You sick bastard- laying a hand on her!" Zeldris snarled, sword drawn and charging at Meliodas with just as much rage Meliodas was fighting with.
Elizabeth's heart leapt to her throat, instantly looking back to the swarm. Above, though, there was the darkness Gelda had covered herself with and she was hovering and by the goddesses Gelda was the one setting the bugs on fire-
"Duck!"
Elizabeth barely caught Hawk's warning, dropping and narrowly being taken out by Zeldris, who crashed into the wall with Meliodas soon following, the blonde laying punch after punch on his younger brother.
"Sir Meliodas! Sir Zeldris! What in heaven's name are you doing?!" Elizabeth cried, shoving herself to her feet and rushing to the crater in the home they had made, but she didn't dare enter, not risking being caught up in their battle.
"Zeldris is here?" Meliodas paused, looking around with his brows furrowed. Blood slipped from a long cut along his shoulder, and he was breathing heavily. Zeldris fared no better, and he too looked equally as confused.
"Wait, can they…"
"Forgive me, Princess, but they are going to be occupied for a long while."
Elizabeth whirled around, and the little kid was smiling at her. She had nearly forgotten about them.
"W-what?"
The kid smiled wider, and Elizabeth took a step away from them and the house as the brothers resumed their fight and the air began to move, a wind not there a few moments ago swirling around the kid. It darkened until she couldn't see them, climbing up and up before vanishing as quickly as it came.
She inhaled sharply, taking in the gold mask and blue and black armor covering the figure that stood where the kid once did, towering over her. The voice that echoed under the mask was amused, teetering into the realm of mocking as he looked down at Elizabeth. "And you will be coming with me as they tear each other apart. Friesia can get the stupid sword herself, after all."
Elizabeth glanced around her, before looking back to the Holy Knight. She tried to recall who he was, she had to know him, someone that wore armor like that was asking to stand out. If she could recall who he was, who Friesia was - her hopes were low, the name didn't sound familiar, as strange as it was - she'd know their power, her father made sure she knew the powers of most of the Holy Knights. She took a step back, and stood taller, doing her best to steele her nerves and put on her sharpest glare. Though battered and half his height, the glare didn't do much.
"What did you do to them?"
The Holy Knight waved his hand dismissively. "I did nothing! Though if they see one another as me, and I'm invisible to them both, then, well…"
There was another crash. More profanities were shouted and Elizabeth could hear bones cracking as the brothers went after each other. The screaming of the burning bugs never ceased either, and how had they not all died yet?
She took another step back, and the Holy Knight huffed. "Princess Elizabeth, you must come with us."
"Absolutely no- Let go!" Elizabeth tried to turn as someone grabbed her arms, metal so cold and so sudden behind her, when had someone gotten behind her? They gripped tighter, and Elizabeth managed to turn her head enough to take in silver armor covered in ash.
"Ruin, she's not going to go quietly."
The Holy Knight - Ruin apparently, and just her luck, Elizabeth didn't recall who he was either - huffed again. "I can see that." There was a moment of silence as Elizabeth struggled, broken only when Ruin spoke again. "Let her go, if she won't cooperate I'm sure we can let slide a little damage." Elizabeth could hear the smile in his voice, and her breath hitched.
"Don't even think about it!" The voice had Elizabeth more panicked, a sprinting pink ball only gaining more speed as he ran towards the two knights and Elizabeth.
"Hawk, no!"
He didn't heed Elizabeth's warning, running straight towards the knight holding her and he tossed her effortlessly just so he could punt Hawk away. Somehow, Hawk wasn't sent too far, and gained his footing rather quick and charged again. Elizabeth staggered to her feet.
She could try running away. She definitely felt like it, and she was preparing to sprint.
But...
But Ruin had something that was messing with the others. At least, messing with Meliodas and Zeldris. She couldn't just leave them to tear each other apart. And Gelda- Elizabeth wasn't sure what was going on with her anymore, she assumed she was still blasting bugs with fire, but was she also having her perception of reality altered?
Elizabeth shook her head. She wasn't running.
Not away, anyway.
Elizabeth took a deep breath and turned. "If you're going to take me back, you're taking me back dead."
Both knights focused their attention back on her and the one in silver kicked Hawk harder than the previous times, sending the pig flying and whimpering as he bounced and slammed against the ground.
There was a hum from Ruin, or was it his bell? Elizabeth couldn't tell from where she was, the sounds sounded so similar when he moved. And he was moving closer.
Elizabeth muttered a few choice words under her breath, turned, and ran after Hawk.
She couldn't hear over her own breathing, her heart pounding as she pushed herself to run faster. But she could never outrun a Holy Knight, and soon she slammed into something - or rather, something slammed into her, sending her tumbling.
Her wrist sent bolts of pain up her arm when she landed, but she tried to shove herself up. Really, she wasn't too far from her goal now, and neither was Hawk. Just a few minutes if she ran.
She didn't stay on her feet long enough, something like a throwing knife slicing into her leg. It didn't lodge itself in her, but she could feel the blood gush down towards her ankle and cringed, falling as the pain flared after a moment of numbness.
The bell chimed again, and she knew it was the bell, it was so close she saw it ring just before it bashed into her head again.
"Holy fuck!" Meliodas, that was Meliodas' voice. "Zel, what- Elizabeth!"
His voice had cracked, and Elizabeth managed to spot him only briefly, the pure rage on his face terrifying, but then the bell chimed again and Ruin had growled low, almost in annoyance, and then Meliodas froze, looking around and then his anger was on Zeldris again and oh, this was going to hurt.
Elizabeth scrambled up the best she could, her leg feeling slick and sticky as grass and dirt stuck to the blood. The world spun, but she had to stay up. Just one more hit. One more hit to the head, and then she'd run, as fast as her legs could carry her. She could make it. She could.
Ruin, just like before, rammed his staff into her head, catching her neck on the bottom of the ring and choking her. She was thrown further this time, and her head pounded from the impact, her neck stinging and a bruise would undoubtedly form later. She kept her mouth shut tightly, breathing through her nose, and she stayed down for now. She'd need to catch her breath.
Ruin stood over her, and she could imagine him smirking down at her. The silver knight appeared next to Ruin, though he wasn't looming over Elizabeth like Ruin. She was breathing heavily, staring up at Ruin with a glare.
"I must say, Princess, your will exceeds our expectations, and your persistence as well! I don't think you're going very far, so, I shall bestow upon you what I have done to your companions." He sounded so confident, Elizabeth wanted to punch him. She had never thrown an actual punch before, and it would have been pointless, but oh did she want to punch this bastard.
The knight in silver cleared his throat. "Um, Ruin?"
"Golgius, quiet." Ruin waved at the other knight - Golgius, ELizabeth would remember that.
"But-"
Ruin ignored Golgius and just cut him off, raising his staff for Elizabeth to see more clearly. "The bell of my staff-" He looked to the staff, and Elizabeth smirked as best she could, spitting out the little bell. Goddesses, she's surprised she didn't choke on it. Ruin was quiet for a moment, before snarling at her. "You little bitch! Now I will kill you!"
Ruin raised his staff, and Elizabeth took a deep breath, eyes squeezed shut.
The impact never came.
Elizabeth dared to open her eyes. She sighed, body slumping into the dirt for just a moment, a small smile flitting across her face at the sight. Meliodas was standing over her, gripping Ruin's arm and Ruin's armor was dented in the grip, and Meliodas looked downright murderous.
He also looked like hell, long slashes along his chest and arms and he was scratched even more than she had been, a combination of the bugs and being thrown about by Zeldris. When Zeldris came into her view, he looked no better, and even looked a bit paler than Meliodas was. Meliodas let go of Ruin just so Zeldris could kick the Holy Knight square in the chest, sending the man soaring into the nearest already destroyed building, the remains collapsing onto Ruin.
Zeldris kept his eyes on the knight, as Meliodas kneeled over her, taking her hand. He helped her sit up, gaze flicking over Elizabeth and taking in her injuries. He opened his mouth, but Elizabeth beat him to speaking, pushing Meliodas up and away so he could help her to her feet.
"Distract- Can you distract them?"
His eyes widened at her request. "Dis- Elizabeth! You're hurt, what do you mean distract them?!"
Elizabeth took a deep breath, then another. She gave Meliodas' hand a squeeze, before letting it go. "I can- Hawk and I can make it into Baste, we can meet you there. I can't fight, but the rest of you can. If- If you fight them," she glared at the knight still under the rubble, "it may distract the rest of the guards and I can see if there are any Sins inside-"
"No, Elizabeth-"
"I'll be fine." She smiled at him. "Trust me, I'll be alright."
"Can you- how can you even stand?"
"She should be asking us that, Meliodas." Zeldris had backed up to them, his breathing shallow. He turned to look at Elizabeth. "We can do that, Gelda's dealing with bug-lady over there-"
There was a scream, and Elizabeth flinched, the sound shattering the air in all it's pain-filled glory. Zeldris glanced over to the noise, just as Gelda flew over to regroup with them, taking in the scene, and her weary expression morphed into one of fury, seeing the state they were all in.
"Nevermind, all three of us can do it." Zeldris turned back to Elizabeth. "It shouldn't take long, but- are you sure you'll be okay on your own in there?"
"Hey, she won't be alone!"
Elizabeth smiled at Hawk, letting go of a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, seeing that he was… well, not alright, but he wasn't in terrible shape, so that was good.
"I'm sure," Elizabeth said with a nod.
Meliodas frowned, looking between his brother, sister-in-law, Hawk, and Elizabeth all in a matter of seconds. Then he looked to the ground and heaved a sigh. When he looked up, he wore a grin and cracked his knuckles.
"Right then! See you two inside!"
Elizabeth gave him and the other two a quick hug, ignoring the blood and ash that clung to her after, and took off towards the prison with Hawk hot on her heels.
Meliodas watched her go, grin gone and frown back on his face, his hearts beating unsteadily as she and Hawk disappeared from view. A hand clapped him on the shoulder, narrowly missing a shallow cut, and he glanced up to see Gelda. She squeezed his shoulder and gave him a small smile, before looking towards the rubble. Her soft gaze turned to a glare, and she pointed before making a fist and punching her other hand.
"So, ready to beat his ass?" Zeldris asked.
"And the guy in silver," Meliodas reminded. That bastard had vanished as soon as he had spotted Meliodas, and Meliodas had no intention of letting him go unscathed. Not when he had to have helped in hurting Elizabeth. His fists clenched at the thought, and he had to pull back his temper. He couldn't lose control now.
"Naturally." Zeldris pulled Meliodas from his thoughts. "Now, let's not keep Elizabeth waiting."
Elizabeth leaned against the wall, Hawk peering around the corner to make sure no guards were coming. She wheezed quietly, lungs burning, and she vowed to never take air for granted again.
They were in Baste, and had just slipped in as soon as most of the guards had left to go see the commotion just on the edges of Dalmary. Apparently, what she could gather from the shouts over her heart beating in her ears, one of the Weird Fangs - and that name did ring a bell, and she couldn't believe she hadn't realized it was them sooner - had gone flying into the air with their skirt on fire.
She had just a few moments to catch her breath before she and Hawk would begin searching. Granted, there was a chance there wasn't a Sin here, and she had heard wrong.
But why else have so many guards, and four Holy Knights, guard a prison that really didn't have many prisoners? Baste had never had someone escape purely because it housed only a handful of powerful prisoners with even stronger guards.
Elizabeth shook her head and let go of the wall. "Let's try and find the cells now."
"What about waiting for the others?"
She shook her head again, taking the lead but staying close to the wall, the shadows. She wobbled slightly, her leg was her biggest pain right now, but at least the blood seemed to have stopped for the time being.
"Might take too long- plus, I said we'd meet up with them, not wait for them." Hawk grumbled a little, following Elizabeth hesitantly. Elizabeth glanced at him, then smiled gently, reassuringly. "You can wait for them, though, if you want. I don't think they'll take long, and you all can always catch up." She laughed a little. "Not like I'm going anywhere fast right now."
Hawk shifted nervously. "Are you sure?"
Elizabeth nodded and leaned down carefully to pat Hawk's head. "I'll see you in a bit."
"Please stay safe, Elizabeth!"
"I will." Elizabeth giggled, patted Hawk again, then stood back up to begin wandering further into the prison.
She did her best to keep track of the way she was going. The last thing she needed was to get lost and get caught by a guard.
It also probably wasn't a good idea to leave Hawk, but it was already said and done. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth glanced around, trying to listen for any kind of life.
She stiffened when she heard the faint voice of guards, but they were stationary - at least, she was pretty sure they weren't moving. Elizabeth forced her legs to move, keeping her steps as light as she possibly could with an injured leg and adrenaline fading, and tried to follow the voices. If there were guards, there might be a prisoner.
Elizabeth learned pretty quickly that voices in Baste Prison travelled very, very far. She wasn't sure how long she had been walking, following the faint voices until they started to finally get a little louder. Occasionally, the entire building shook, and voices echoing to her from the entrance would throw her off a little but now that she was much farther inside it wasn't so bad. The tremors had to be from the others, and a small part of her was saddened to know she wasn't there to watch the havoc they were undoubtedly causing.
Elizabeth stopped just around the corner from the voices, and she was too lost in thought to notice but she could hear humming. It was low, and the guards banged on metal telling him to pipe down. Elizabeth hugged the wall, carefully peering around the corner, holding her breath.
There were two guards, complaining rather loudly between themselves about the prisoner who ignored them about the humming. Elizabeth swallowed and pulled herself away from the corner. She wasn't sure she could take the guards on in a fight, actually, she was certain she couldn't. Definitely not in the state she was in.
Before she could figure out what she should do, though, there was suddenly someone in front of her. She yelped, head slamming into the wall behind her and the voices of the other two fell silent immediately. The guard - he looked strange, very very strange, and so she assumed he was also part of the Weird Fangs - tilted his head and she couldn't look away from the red eyes, the only thing she could see out of the tangle of purple vine… things… she didn't know what they were, but it was creepy.
Neither of them moved, and the silence was suffocating, because even the prisoner had quieted.
Then, Elizabeth smiled weakly. "Um, h-hello."
She thought the eyes may have narrowed at her.
"What are you doing here?"
Elizabeth didn't answer, glancing around. She felt a glare on her, and she clenched her fist, holding back from trembling. She was going to be fine. She could do this.
After another few beats of silence, Elizabeth stood straighter and beamed, putting on her best smile, the smile she wore around other nobles she had been forced to meet.
"Breaking someone out of prison, maybe!"
The knight stepped back, her bluntness even causing the other two to startle - she heard them bang into metal and one gasped - and before the one clad in purple and black could react Elizabeth pushed into his space and brought her knee up with all her strength.
He dropped to his knees with a groan and Elizabeth dashed around the corner. That wouldn't keep him down for long, barely even a minute if he was really a good Holy Knight.
"They're going to flip, Meliodas is going to be so angry-" she muttered as she crashed into one of the guards, breathing heavily as she tackled them. She couldn't take them on, but maybe she could buy herself enough time.
The guard she had tackled easily overpowered Elizabeth, and she was left winded as they kicked her in the stomach for good measure. Goddesses above her body hurt, and if she actually made it out of this she was going to sleep for days.
The knight in the mask was suddenly back, sounding like he was still in a bit of pain, and Elizabeth struggled against the guard holding her. She was dragged to her feet and arms pinned to her sides, and she glared at the creepy knight.
She snarled as he drew closer, about to threaten him, but she never got a chance to.
The metal door was kicked down, and the knight was crushed under it along with the guard not holding Elizabeth.
There was a hiss from under the door, but the metal refused to budge as the prisoner walked out and stepped extra hard where the knight had been, a crack filling the air.
The guard holding ELizabeth was trembling, and Elizabeth easily got one arm free, swinging back with as much force as she could muster and ramming them in the face. They yelped, letting her go completely and stumbling away, and really that was pathetic, they have someone like that in Baste?
She shook the thought away, moving from the guard not crushed to keep the prisoner between them. Said prisoner was watching her closely, red eyes just barely visible through unkempt pale blue hair narrowed at her. She watched as he pulled spikes from his body, and the holes closed, and her eyes widened.
"You're… You're Sir Ban, yes?"
The man tilted his head, eyes still narrowed. "So what if I am?"
Elizabeth's eyes lit up, and she laughed despite the pain it brought both in her stomach - stars, she'd be covered in bruises tomorrow - and her leg from the pressure. "This is great!" She grinned at the prisoner, who still regarded her suspiciously. Her eyes widened in realization, and she stood as straight as she could again. "How rude of me! I'm Princess Elizabeth." She forced herself into a small bow, not daring to try a full one right now. "I'm travelling with Sir Meliodas in search of the Sins."
The man - Ban, this was definitely Undead Ban, the Fox Sin of Greed - his eyes widened at her admission, and he slouched.
"You're with the Captain? It wasn't just a rumor then, that he's alive?"
Elizabeth's smile turned softer. "He's alive, yes- and somewhere in here, maybe, or just outside." She scratched her neck sheepishly. "I'm not too sure, actually, I went ahead- but, um. Are- Do you want to see him again?"
Ban genuinely looked offended. "Of course I want to see the Captain!" Ban stuck one of the spikes he had pulled out into the metal door, and aside from the loud clank of metal on metal, Elizabeth heard a squelch and cringed slightly. Although, she supposed, it wasn't the worst fate that knight could have had.
"Well then, we may want to-"
"What is going on here?"
Elizabeth sighed and Ban grinned as a new guard, also with light blue hair and a scowl on their face, approached them.
"Wanna take a seat, Princess?"
"Not really, but can we make it quick? We should try finding the others quickly…"
The guard's scowl only grew more intense as they were ignored, and Ban shrugged, rolling his shoulders. "You've got a point, fine." His grin faded a bit as he regarded the guard, and he hummed low.
Elizabeth sighed heavily and slouched against the wall.
Despite what he said, Elizabeth believed this might take a while.
She really hoped no more guards came this way.