Lord Cornelius Havenworth, rather King Cornelius Havenworth, watched from a distance as flames erupted all over the kingdom of Liones. His hired men fighting against those of King Baltra's with a ferocity that nearly matched his own. So far his strategy was working without a hitch; send in waves of men to tire out the Holy Knights and alliancing armies before swooping in to fell the king himself. And if that hired girl, Aya, had done her job correctly then Princess Elizabeth would be dead in the arms of her lover giving him ample time to conquer the city before moving onto the next. That was nearly an entire day ago so the chances of Meliodas catching up ahead of the city's collapse were slim, though not zero. With that knight it was never zero. The king would admit that he had underestimated his skill and tact before yet now that he was so close to having what he finally wanted, there was little room for further error.
"King Cornelius, King Baltra's men are holding strong for the time. Shall we push more men?" A knight shifted beside the king as he gazed over the city from their cliffside perch. It was a bit of a distance from the entrance of the kingdom though it gave them a high advantage point of seeing the entirety of the city as the day slowly turned to night.
"How many men remain?" Cornelius tore his gaze from the burning city to look at the knight beside him. What was his name again? Who the hell cared, he'd probably be dead at the end of this battle anyways. It wasn't worth the hassle of trying to learn names.
"We have about fifteen-hundred remaining, My Lord. Though it seems the Holy Knights are not to be trifled with when it comes to battle. I believe there are still a few of the Seven Deadly Sins remaining within the walls as well."
"Which ones?" Depending on the strength levels of the remaining ones, he would need to alter his plan of attack. Despite Meliodas being the captain of the Sins there was still another who was even stronger than the Dragon's Wrath. There were even folktales about a giant monster who roamed the land slaying whomever was touched by a sacred axe, the wielder fierce and powerful.
"Escanor, Gowther, and Harlequin? While the latter two are not necessarily the strongest, Escanor is rumored to be the strongest of all of the Sins." The knight looked a bit uneasy as he glanced between his king and Liones. "Fighting him directly is a death sentence, King Cornelius. The man is an expert with his battle axe and has extensive knowledge with explosives. Combine the two together—"
"If you are that scared of the man then feel free to turn and run. I will not tuck my tail and run from my destiny." Cornelius threatened lowly and the man quickly shook his head. "Send in another wave of a hundred to keep the pressure up. Once most of the men are taken out then send two hundred. Keep increasing the numbers until King Baltra himself begs me personally for mercy."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Cornelius huffed. One annoyance after another was ruining his glorious moment of conquest. Too bad Meliodas wasn't here to witness such a scene, he was most likely too busy crying over his dead lover to notice his home was about to collapse. A twisted grin adorned his face and the king let out a low chuckle. He had gotten the knight banished from the very place he called home, coerced his lover into coming to his castle, and then sent an assassin to have her murdered before his very eyes. The knight had no ground beneath his feet and it filled Cornelius with glee. To top it all off? When he eventually returned to his city, all he would find are the remains of his friends and king who would be beheaded moments before the knights own demise.
"Checkmate, Dragon's Wrath."
"Where the hell do they keep coming from?!" Howzer yelled as he narrowly blocked a heavy blow, quickly regaining his balance before spinning and plunging the tip of his sword through the attackers heart. The fighting was endless as more and more men poured into Liones with their battle cries and blade readied.
"This was to be expected," Griamore grunted as an enemy took a swipe at his knees, attempting to bring the taller man to the ground. A quick punch to the side of the head took care of the threat and the Holy Knight stood tall once more. "We knew he was amassing a large army and now he is just toying with us by sending in waves of men to wear us down."
"He's stalling." Gilthunder shouted over the clanging of swords, the knight gritting his teeth as he waited for an opening before striking. He panted heavily before taking down the next enemy with a precise slash. "Cornelius is waiting for something, someone, before making his grand appearance. Sending in waves of men is nothing more than a distraction right now. My bet is he's waiting on Captain Meliodas to return to the city."
"We can't keep them off forever, Gil! We've been fighting for half the day already! We don't even know if Captain will be back in time or not!" The blonde knight snapped back as he moved onto his next target, putting all of his anger into his swings. "Even cycling out the borrowed troops is wearing them down! We need a different plan of attack before we all collapse from exhaustion!"
"Giving up already, Howzer? Have you no pride for your title?" A deep voice rumbled from behind the trio and they whipped their heads around in surprise.
"Escanor! What happened to your post?" Gilthunder finished off his enemy before turning to the towering Sin, resting heavily against the hilt of his sword. "You were supposed to stay put until I gave the order—"
"Explosive traps have been set, Gowther and King are scanning the area. Seeing as you three seem to be having a difficult time I will offer my assistance in your time of need. Now stand back, there is going to be a bit of heat." The Sin warned as he raised his axe, Rhitta, the three Holy Knights immediately backtracking a good ten feet away. More and more fighters began swarming the area but Escanor didn't appear phased as he positioned Rhitta diagonally in the air, a confident smirk tugging his lips upwards.
"Move it, bastard! We've got a king to behead!" A ruffian snarled as he reached the Holy Knight first, brandishing his sword wildly.
"How impudent to think you could lay a hand on our king let alone the strongest knight in the kingdom." Escanor let out an amused huff as his free hand unclenched, a few men stepping back warily once glistening powder rained down over them. "Die knowing you were looked down upon by the Lion's Sin of Pride. Cruel Sun!"
With a powerful slash through the air Escanor watched as the men caught on fire seemingly out of nowhere, their anguished screams filling the air as they burned. The trio of Holy Knights grimaced, Griamore even looking away with a hand covering his mouth. The Sin lowered his axe as the remaining handful of knights turned tail and ran, abandoning their weapons in the process. Escanor huffed before setting the tip of Rhitta against the cobblestone.
"What in the world did you just do, Escanor?" Howzer asked slightly in awe as he moved to stand beside the towering knight, eyes wide. The Sin merely glanced down at him with indifference.
"He threw combustible powder into the air and struck the particles fast enough to create friction, therefore turning it into a bomb of sorts. I've seen it once before but now I know how you do it, Escanor. Impressive." Gilthunder supplied as he pierced a still struggling knight in the back, silencing his agonized cries. Better to end their suffering than have it prolonged. It was the worst part of the job and it would haunt him for years to come.
"Are you going to go after the stragglers or do I need to continue assisting you?" Escanor turned and looked down at his acting commander, blue eyes steely. Gilthunder collected himself immediately to give the Sin a command. Escanor wasted no time when it came to fighting, the man rather impatient for those who messed around when giving orders.
"Continue after them for now, we're going to secure the area better then regroup with Gowther and King until the next phase of the plan. Help anyone you can on your way."
"Understood."
"He's going to hold this over our heads for a long time, isn't he?" Howzer groaned as he leaned heavily against his blade, free hand swiping down his face tiredly.
"Until the day you die. Let's continue clearing the area to make sure no one gets through."
"Roger."
King held his last two kunai in his hands as he warily glanced at the men surrounding him. He had gotten sidetracked for the briefest of seconds searching for his missing sword yet it was enough for the Holy Knight to find himself surrounded on three sides. Direct combat wasn't his strong suit but he wouldn't go down without a fight, not when it came to protecting the city he had sworn to give his life for all those years ago. A few of the men inched closer and the Holy Knight whipped his hand out, catching the closest enemy against the throat. A thin line appeared along with some blood but the cut wasn't nearly deep enough to do permanent damage.
"That it, kid? How the hell did you become a Holy Knight with such wimpy strength?" The man chortled, a few of the others laughing along with him. King kept a calm composure as he waited for his attacker to take notice.
"Seriously, that king must be off his…. hey what's wrong, Geraldo?" Another man asked the now coughing Geraldo, hands latching against his throat while his eyes went wide. Fingers clawed at his throat as a gurgling noise emitted between his lips.
"Cat got your tongue?" The Sin asked with boredom as foam spewed from the now spasming man's mouth, blood pouring down his chin. "Ever heard of the deathshade plant? It's a very toxic flower that grows deep in the forests surrounding Liones and combined with ithroot it becomes a paralytic nerve agent that floods every vein in your body while eroding them away. Death takes about thirty seconds from even the slightest amount entering your bloodstream."
"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" Another knight rushed forward with his sword held high.
"The Grizzly's Sin of Sloth." King dodged the sloppy attack and took the opening in the crowd, keeping low as he sprinted through the men. He armed his kunai outwards and sliced at any skin that he encountered, the cries of pain soon turning into burbles of death. Cowardly men soon began scrambling away from the knight only to fall victim to the deadly toxin as well.
King slashed through the last knight before slowing to a stop, casually looking over his shoulder at the carnage lying behind him. It wasn't the best option of killing yet it was still effective, though now that the kunai in his hands were halfway cleansed of their poison he needed to find Gowther and retrieve his fallen blade. An attack earlier had separated them after explosions went off near their posts shortly following Escanor's departure to assist the other knights, so the two were on their own for the time. While there were other Holy Knights in the area it wasn't the same powerful counterattack with the brawny Sin MIA. Rolling his shoulders, King took off once more weaving and slicing his way back to the center of town with precision. Being smaller than the other Sins meant he was more agile, discrete, faster to slice through enemies of the kingdom. His specialty was that of long-range but close combat tactics had been drilled into him by the captain for circumstances like he was currently in. They would hold their ground as long as they could until Meliodas returned but the men were wearing down, the number of Havenworth's men remained unknown to them yet the waves still continued on.
"We can't hold on forever Captain, hurry back."
Gowther launched another volley of arrows over the opposing fighters encroaching his position, their cries of pain filling the air as he reloaded once more. He had been separated from King after Escanor took off to help the other Holy Knights closer to the castle, leaving him to hold his position solo. The traps Escanor had set worked for the first few dozen of men but now that they were extinguished Havenworth's men charged forward with renewed vigor. The Sin already had to retreat to a higher building more than once in order to handle the massive surge of fighters but he was drawing too close to the castle for his liking. Not to mention he was running out of arrows despite having stocked at least a couple hundred around the area. Sword fighting wasn't his forte, very much like King, but the man knew how to fight dirty thanks to Ban. Captain had disapproved of it in the beginning but soon gave in and taught Gowther a few more tricks for tight situations. Add on the fact that he somehow lost his sword but gained King's made it a bit more challenging seeing as his fellow Sin's weapon was shorter and lighter for faster movements while his was doubled bladed and could fit against his bow for easier carrying. The explosion blasted the bow from his hands, sending the blade one way and his main weapon the other.
"Oh, you are still pursuing me? How brave of you." Gowther cocked his head as one of Havenworth's men scrambled up the edge of the roof, blade clenched between his teeth. "It would be wise to remain mindful of your steps on this type of steep roof. They can be quite dangerous if you do not watch your step."
"Why the hell would I listen to you?" The man snarled as he slipped the blade from his mouth before charging up the tiles. The Sin merely danced a few more feet backwards to stand at the peak of the roof, composed.
"Because you are about to step on a tile I loosened. Remember to try and roll before you hit the ground." Gowther supplied helpfully as he pointed down at the slightly elevated shingle the man's foot had just landed on.
"You damned—!" The words turned into a terrified shriek as the fighter's foot holding slipped out beneath him, sending him tumbling back down the steep roof and back to the ground below. He heard a strangled screech before silence took over.
"I did advise you to roll." The Sin called out as he leaned down over the edge of the roof to see the man splattered on the cobblestones.
Satisfied no others were going to be following, Gowther leapt his way across the rooftops of the city, keeping an eye on the crowd of men now attempting to follow him. Roadblocks had been deployed once the city was evacuated so unless they could get through the heavy debris of collapsed houses, then there was little to worry about. All he needed to do now was find King and wait for the secondary phase of the plan to begin. It took a bit more of house jumping before the Sin reached his final destination; the church tower centered just outside of the high castle walls. It was the perfect vantage point to launch an attack and he could see on all four sides. The entrance to the tower had been sealed prior in order to prevent anyone sneaking up on him while he attacked and all houses nearby had their roofs boobytrapped so attackers couldn't get a clear shot at the Sin without falling off. The buildings would be rebuilt after the war but for now they were nothing more than tactical destructions in order to defend Liones.
"Clear to the North, East, some resistance to the South and…Escanor to the West. He appears to be making his way back to our designated posting but there will be no one waiting for him. Signaling to him would give away my positioning." Gowther ran the calculations through his mind as he cleaned his glasses against his sleeve, squinting up at the lenses to ensure no spots remained. "I will begin assisting to the South if Escanor continues pushing the enemy towards the center of town."
Ensuring his glasses were snug against his nose, Gowther carefully held his bow as he jumped into the bell tower in search of more arrows. Dozens of the sharp projectiles were neatly lined against the short walls of the room, some of the shafts tinted red while others were marked green, indicating the type of arrow. Reds were used for fire attacks, usually coinciding with Escanor's combustible powder though he had some on hand too, and greens released a toxic gas once the arrowhead shattered from the base of the shaft. Merlin had made sure everything was prepared for the war before her departure with Diane and the princess, leaving detailed instructions for all of them from how to mix toxins together to the best way to defend the city from attacks. Refilling his quiver with his standard arrows and a few of the colored ones, Gowther settled against the windowsill facing the South, scanning through the smoke and fire to lock onto his targets. Another explosion caught his attention and he shifted his weapons trajectory a few degrees to the left of the combustion point, narrowing his eyes as he focused. Hitting Escanor was a very slim possibility but there could be other Holy Knights mixed amongst the enemies. The only distinction between the two groups was the enlarged triskele adorning the back of every piece of armor. After a minute of searching and finding none, the Sin completed his calculations.
"There does not appear to be any Holy Knights within the group, Escanor is the only one pursuing them so I will not hold back."
Notching three standard arrows onto the bow, Gowther placed his foot against the top of the ledge and tilted the bow sideways, widening his range. His fingers held onto the string tightly as he pulled back, waiting for the right window to appear. Escanor released another explosive blast that sent men scurrying away and Gowther took the shot, fingers expertly releasing the drawstring before reaching for more arrows to load. The three struck their targets with meticulousness and all three men fell to the ground with arrows protruding from their chests. Escanor seemed to take notice of the situation change and reached into the pouch on his hip, looking towards the church and nodding once before tossing a bag of powder into the air above the dozen or so men still lingering. Gowther quickly loaded a red arrow and took aim, firing less than a second later. As soon as the arrow punctured the pouch the contents exploded as a chemical reaction happened between the metals, fire raining down over the intruders.
"That takes care of the South, now where has King gone to?"
The Sin of Sloth struggled against the strong hold of the man pinning him against the half demolished remains of a house, hands clawing at every open piece of skin he could reach to no avail. He had run around a corner looking one way and slammed into the enemy, quite literally, coming the other way and before his weapon could swing the man had grabbed him by the throat. Up until that moment he had been doing fairly well on his own, avoiding larger groups and taking out any stragglers just using his kunai but he knew his luck would run out sooner or later. Both of his weapons had been tossed aside and the knight had no other means of self-defense on him, leaving him completely at the mercy of the enemy.
"I've got you now brat, and there ain't no one around to save you. Think of the jobs I'll be offered once people know I killed one of the Seven Deadly Sins!" The knight cackled as he pulled the Sin away from the wall before slamming him hard against the bricks. Blood spewed from King's lips and he took in a ragged, pained breath. His armor could only take a few more hits as it was reinforced in the front and not the back. This wasn't good, he needed to find a way to escape before his head was bashed to bits against the bricks. They were close to the center of town but Escanor was further to the Northwest and he had no clue where Gowther even was, no Holy Knights had been seen in the area either as they had all retreated further back to protect the castle.
"Oh yeah, you'll get loads of jobs taking out the weakest of the Sins. That's like comparing it to a schoolyard bully beating up a younger kid." King wheezed out and the triumphant grin slipped from the man's face, quickly turning downward into a sour scowl. "Why not go for Escanor? You'll really get good jobs then."
"How about I go for that brown haired girl?" The Sin immediately hardened his gaze and glared at the man, earning a laugh in return. "Oh, got a soft spot for that girl, eh? Maybe I'll take her for myself then once I finish you off."
"You touch a single hair on her head and you'll—!"
"I'll what? You've got no leverage here being pinned to a wall with no weapons, no allies nearby, and no hope of escape. You ain't got nothing, kid, so just shut up and die already!"
King braced himself against the first few hits but once he heard the cracking of his skull against the bricks his body went limp and a loud ringing filled his head. This was it, he was really going to die this time and he hadn't even told Diane how he felt before she ran off with Lady Elizabeth and Merlin. How would she feel coming back knowing her comrade had suffered a weak, pathetic death? Would she be mad or upset first? Diane was always pushing him to better himself in combat yet scolded the knight when he injured himself in the process. Blood trickled down over his eyes and he hazily tried to blink it away only for more to take its place. There was no pain so maybe it would be a nice, peaceful passing. Captain would probably be disappointed in him, Ban would curse him out, Gowther wouldn't understand the emotions of grieving, Escanor would…hell he didn't know how the powerhouse of a knight would react. Merlin was the same way, her emotions hidden behind a heavy veil. Diane…
"D…Diane…" King rasped out, blearily opening his eyes to stare at the enemy before him. The world around him was spinning wildly around him and he wasn't even sure he was staring directly at the man.
"Your last words and they're about that girl? Don't worry, once I find her she'll join you shortly after." The knight cackled just as he hurtled the broken Sin across the cobblestones, watching as he bounced a few times before flopping to a stop. "As fun as it would be to stand here and watch the last breath leaving your body, I have the remainder of the Sins to finish off as well before I reach King Baltra. Of course, if Lord Havenworth hasn't already taken care of that little problem. Wouldn't be surprised if he's been hiding in the castle waiting for an opening all along."
"My…home…."
"Eh? The hell are you mumbling about now?" The man walked over to the downed knight, sword drawn. King mustered enough strength to shakily push himself up onto his forearms, drowsily staring at the enemy coming to claim his soul.
"You…will not…destroy…my home…or…talk bad…about…Diane…." King coughed up a glob of blood that trailed down his broken and dented armor. "Even…even if I die…others will…avenge me…in order to…protect Liones."
"Again with this shit? God, maybe it's a good thing I'm killing you off first, you're annoying as hell."
Havenworth's soldier raised his sword high above his head just as King's eyes fluttered shut and he fell backwards, waiting for his end to arrive. He just hoped Diane would be able to find someone and be happy for the rest of her life. A few gurgled breaths passed and when nothing happened, King slowly cracked his eyes back open to find the enemy gone and a new face appeared in his vision. While he couldn't make out exactly who it was he knew it was an ally judging by the way they hadn't killed him yet. A shaky sigh slipped from his mouth and the Sin's lips twitched into the tiniest of smiles. The gods above rejected his final prayer for a peaceful passing because apparently his time on this earth wasn't quite done yet.
"You have fought well for yourself King, now is your time to rest."
"E-Esca…nor?" King mumbled as his comrade crouched down beside him. Even with blurry vision it was unmistakably the Lion's Sin.
"Fortunately, you were tossed directly into Gowther's line of sight and within arms reach of myself. Do not worry, we will handle things from here on out. I will take you back within the castle walls for medical attention." Escanor gave his comrade a brief reassuring nod and picked him up, holding him as still as possible.
"Gow…ther…is okay?"
"Hm. It would seem that way. Worry about yourself for the time, King." The Sin of Sloth shook his head slowly. Shame washed over him. It was his duty not only as a Holy Knight of Liones but as a member of the Seven Deadly Sins to uphold his duties, yet here he was lying broken in the arms of his comrade unable to even lift his arms up. Once this was all over…he would talk to the captain about leaving. His actions were a disgrace against Liones, something even the king would surely agree to. He didn't want to know what Diane would think…
"Sorry…Escanor…I'm weak…" King breathed out as the pounding in his head threatened to pull him down into the depths of the darkness. "I don't…deserve to call myself…a Holy Knight…or Sin…"
"You were chosen for a reason, King, by Captain himself no less. While you may not see your strengths in your weakest moments, others know that you would readily lay your life down for your kingdom and its people. Captain would tell you the exact same thing if he were here." Escanor replied gruffly though it was a bit softer than usual, out of the ordinary for the always haughty knight. "The Seven Deadly Sins were formed of those who had the hearts and strengths to protect others who cannot protect themselves, yet also of those who were stained with heinous crimes by people who judged us only by our faults. Moments of weakness such as this only give way to a stronger tomorrow." King merely twitched his head up into what he hoped was a nod before succumbing to the blackness.
Gilthunder began ordering his men to retreat further towards the castle walls, most of the city having been overrun with yet another wave of Havenworth's men. They were beginning to falter in their lines of defense and the acting captain had no other choice than to call his troops back before their numbers dwindled as night fell. Escanor had yet to return as did Gowther and King, the three Sins still running freely within the abandoned city. He had the utmost faith within those three and the knight tried his best to place his concerns elsewhere but a seed of doubt began creeping into the back of his mind. Were they injured? Trapped somewhere? Surrounded and outnumbered? There weren't any Holy Knights remaining in the lower sections of the city so it was just those three still lingering about. Explosions could be heard every now and then though it was difficult to decipher if it was Escanor or the enemy.
"Position yourselves for Phase Two; archers, get to your posts and don't let up on firing once all knights are in place. I want those wielding shields to form a two-layered patterned line of defense while those with longswords position in between the shields, you are the last thing preventing those men from climbing over your comrades and breaking the line. If we fail to hold this position then the enemy will have an easy shot at reaching the castle walls. Liones will not fall to these traitors, not tonight, not ever!" A roaring cheer was his response and Gilthunder felt a sliver of relief. They hadn't given up hope yet. Still, things weren't looking good for Liones. Most of the city had been overrun and now their backs were closer to the heavily fortified castle walls than he would have liked. Havenworth still had an unknown amount of men while theirs were slowly dwindling downward. They started off with nearly two-thousand men, including those nearby kingdoms sent, and at least a few hundred plus had been picked off already. The absolute last resort would be locking themselves behind the castle walls, which were nearly impossible to penetrate, but that put King Baltra at a higher risk due to drawing the battle closer. Dawn Roar were fiercely protecting the king though if the Holy Knights were to fall….
"Captain! Incoming explosions! They're spreading up the path!" A soldier called out and the knight rushed to the front of the line, sword at the ready. Enemies were scrambling to escape the destructive force before seemingly falling to the ground from an unseen attack. Explosives? Unseen attacks? What in the world was going on?
"Archers, hold your fire!" Gilthunder ordered as he shot his hand up to signal a ceasefire. Howzer and Griamore sidled up next to their commander, weapons drawn as they tried to see through the brightening inferno rushing towards them.
"Gil, what the hell is that?" The blonde asked incredulously, shielding his eyes as the flames became too bright for his eyes. "Are they fighting with fire now?"
"No, it's not the enemies doing, Howzer. Look." The knight pointed just to the side of the explosion point and his friends squinted for a better look.
"They made it back!" Griamore shouted triumphantly, raising his sword to the sky. Others cheered in unison to bring morale up another few notches.
"Guess there was no point in worrying about those three, huh?" Howzer elbowed his leader playfully, the tension melting from his expression. Gilthunder released a held breath and shot his comrade a worn smile.
"Apparently not. Hell of a flashy entrance though. Let the Sins back through!"
The knights shifted aside as the last few handfuls of opponents were obliterated and Escanor stomped his way up the bloodstained stairs, Gowther riding on one shoulder while a motionless King rested in his arms. The Sin of Lust slipped from his perch and landed beside Gilthunder, shooting him a victory pose before moving aside. "Escanor, what happened to King? Is he alright?"
"King fought valiantly against the enemy with no weapons, I will take him to the medics before returning to head the line of defense." Escanor replied without so much as turning his head, the path of soldiers clearing for the Sin as he continued walking. Gilthunder clenched his jaw. Damnit, he must've overlooked something in the plans allowing for one of his men to get critically injured. Where was Captain Meliodas when they needed him?
"King and I got separated after an explosion, he lost his blade and I lost mine as well though I managed to find his." Gowther appeared with the blade in hand, placing it in Gilthunder's palms with care. "He has done his duty as both a Holy Knight and a member of the Seven Deadly Sins. Please allow Escanor and I to lead the frontal assault in place of him while he rests."
"Of course, Gowther, take command of the archers if need be." The knight bobbed his head before taking off once more to calculate a new plan of attack. "Archers, you are now following the orders of The Seven Deadly Sins' Gowther, pay heed to his words! He will be the key to defending the wall!"
"Yes sir!"
"Think he can handle the new responsibility? A good handful of those archers aren't even ours," Howzer watched the impossibly nimble man disappear behind the castle wall and reappear at the top moments later. He often wondered if the knight was even human. Honestly, he wasn't sure any of the Sins were human with their battle adaptivity and skill. He used to envy them when he was younger though now it was just admiration.
"They just watched their comrade nearly get killed, Howzer, the fire lit beneath them just turned into a raging inferno. Just as Captain Meliodas trusts their judgement so do I." The blonde chuffed a bit but nodded his head in agreeance.
"As long as they can help us stay ahead I don't care if they have to blow up half the town to do so. Though that just makes more work for us down the line."
Gilthunder almost dismissed what Howzer said but stopped after walking a few feet, the gears turning in his head. Blowing up half the town…normally it would be an outrageous suggestion especially during a war but on the other hand it could be seen as a tactical advantage for them to level the buildings for a clear line of sight. The knight placed a hand over his mouth as he thought, pacing back and forth a few steps while his soldiers looked at him oddly. If they could level the houses down to the ground then they could see any enemy sneaking up on them since they had the higher advantage point, meaning they would lose less men to surprise attacks on blind corners. If Havenworth decided to get heavy artillery weapons involved they wouldn't be able to get them over the rubble and firing from the city gates was too far to inflict damage upon the castle.
"Gil, something wrong?" Griamore asked as he reached out a hand to stop the pacing captain, Howzer looking at him with mild concern.
"We need to level half of the city." Both knights looked at each other in alarm before gaping at their commander. He stopped them with a hand up, still formulating his plan as he looked up. "Think about it; we level the buildings then they can't surprise us around blind corners or use heavy artillery weapons without getting stuck. Plus it makes it harder for them to traverse the new uneven terrain without us striking them down first. Destroying the houses would be beneficial for us!"
"That…makes sense…" Howzer started uneasily, unable to fully picture what his friend was talking about. Maybe he'd finally lost his mind from the countless hours of fighting. Not that the blonde was too far from that point either. "But how are we going to get enough fire power to level everything? We're talking about hundreds of buildings."
Gilthunder merely smirked and pointed backwards towards the castle gates. "We have our own powerhouse eager to blow off some steam behind those walls, gentlemen. I say we fully use it to our advantage."
"I hope you know what you're doing, Gil, just remember though we have to rebuild every single building that is lost."
"If it means winning this war then I'll rebuild every damn house myself."
"Dismount and rest for a bit then we're continuing on." Meliodas slowed Hawk to a walk as he called back to the small army of men following his lead. "We're still an hour at most from Liones so eat, drink, and get some sleep because we'll be going straight into battle. Arthur will lead you to surround the inner West and East sides of the city walls while Ban and I head directly inside."
"Yes sir!"
Meliodas nodded in satisfaction and quickly dismounted from Hawk, the horse nudging him with his head as he passed before shifting to be closer to Waldo. Ban followed suit while Arthur went about discussing their battle plans with the men. The two Sins quietly secluded themselves from the rest, choosing to sit a good way from the others. There wasn't much to be said between them in all honesty. They knew the risks of what they were getting into and talking about it just made it hit harder home that one or both of them wouldn't survive. The captain settled heavily on a downed tree, rummaging around in his pack for some food as Ban leaned against a nearby tree with arms crossed. The soldiers managed to get a large fire going and the light danced over the ground in front of them. It was still dark out though with the way they had been going all night, arriving in Liones would only take an hour more or less, just past the break of dawn. The platoon had been pushing hard for hours at a time, resting for a bit, then continuing on in order to make it easier for everyone including the horses. A few bouts of laughter filled the air though it was mainly the crackling of the fire.
"Food." The blonde tossed a tightly wrapped bundle to the unusually stoic man before grabbing one for himself. While it wasn't much the jerky would hold him over until this damned war was done and over with. They had cleared Havenworth's kitchen before departing, leaving more than enough for the remaining troops and his friends.
"This tastes like shit," Ban commented offhandedly. "I could make a better jerky with my eyes shut."
"Food is food, shut up and eat it." Meliodas retorted as he bit into his own piece, grimacing a bit at the odd flavor but forced it down anyway. Apparently Cornelius didn't have much of a flavor palette. "I expect a full course meal from you after this is all over. Whoever made this has the tastebuds of a clump of dirt."
Ban snickered before ripping off another chunk with his teeth, chewing slowly. "A bit savage today, Cap'n, I like it. Maybe you can force his Highness to chew on a mouthful, I'm sure he'd like one last meal."
"We wouldn't want him to give him a piece of crap he'd probably enjoy, Ban, that's almost saint-like of you."
"I've been slippin' haven't I? Guess I'll need to start being a bad boy again, Cap'n." Ban chortled and even Meliodas laughed a bit then shook his head.
"The men seem to be getting a bit of rest in now, Captain Meliodas, Ban. How are you two holding up?" Arthur gave a tiny wave as he approached the Sins with his own pouch of food. Meliodas gestured to the empty section of the log beside him and the king gratefully took it before eagerly digging into his meal.
"Fantastically, Arthur. We're going to find Havenworth and have a little tea party with him, talk about our problems, hug it out, then all go our separate ways for the evening." Ban bit out sarcastically and the king just let out a small, nervous laugh. "Hell, we'll even feed him this shitty jerky we found in his pantry!"
"I-I see. Captain?" The redhead eagerly switched over to the other Sin, hoping for a more honest reaction. Or rather, a better answer than he received from Ban. He never could understand his sense of humor. Maybe the King of Camelot just lacked one.
"What he said," Meliodas shrugged and Arthur turned his attention back to his meal, shoveling it into his mouth before more stupid questions tumbled from it. "Talking about it now doesn't do any good, Arthur, you have to keep a steeled mind before we arrive. Tensions and nerves are high right now so it's best to stay focused on the task with minimal sidetracking."
"Forgive me for asking then, I just wanted to ensure you two were doing alright. I have not heard a single word from either of you since we left."
"Probably the only time you'll hear Ban quiet," The Sin of Wrath snickered and dodged a chunk of jerky thrown his way, the piece slapping against Arthur's cheek. Arthur carefully removed the food before tossing it into the woods behind him and swiped at his face to remove any remnants.
Silence fell over the trio as they slowly finished up their meals with gazes kept downward. No matter how much they prepared or told themselves everything was going to be alright…there was no telling the outcome of the war but one thing was for certain; Lord Cornelius Havenworth would die. A few of the soldiers began milling around after a while, anxious to get going once more with the war drawing closer, the darkness beginning to lessen bit by bit. Meliodas finally pushed himself up from the tree with a sigh. Delaying any further would risk the city falling to Havenworth's men and the knight refused to let that happen.
"Arthur, your men know what to do, right?" The captain asked as they slowly moved closer to the group of men saddling up once more. Hawk and Waldo perked their ears up as their riders drew near, snorting while trotting towards them. Meliodas scratched both horses along their noses. The former nipped at Ban as he got too close, earning a string of curses aimed at him, but the horse merely flapped his lips in amusement and turned away.
"Yes! I will lead them to just a bit outside of Liones and then have them converge on the city gates, taking out any of Lord Cornelius' men along the way while you two take a direct path to the castle. My men have been directed to report any sighting of Lord Cornelius to the nearest Holy Knight who should then find you, correct?" Arthur called over his own horse, Cath, before turning back to the captain.
"Correct. Do not confront him no matter what or else he'll strike down your men without hesitation. Make sure no one breaches the castle walls, Arthur, it's our last line of defense for King Baltra."
"Yes sir!" The king saluted and made to get on his horse when he faltered, releasing his hold on the reins to look off to the side. With a big breath in he turned and stood tall, clasping a closed fist over his heart. "If we were to never meet again, Captain Meliodas, Holy Knight Ban, I wanted you to know it has been an honor knowing and serving beside you. Godspeed, gentlemen, and good luck."
"We'll see each other again after the war is over, King Arthur, we Sins are very hard to kill." Ban gave a Cheshire grin but returned the gesture, nonetheless. "I'll even give Cornelius a personal greeting from you."
"Take care of yourself, Arthur." Meliodas tapped his fist against his armored heart as the king mounted his steed.
"Farewell." King Arthur gave them one last smile before steering his horse back towards the men, shouting orders to mount up once more. Everyone began stirring like an angry beehive with horses neighing and men shouting to ready the others.
"Alright, Ban, are you ready to return home?"
"More than I'll ever be, Cap'n, let's get this show on the road. We wouldn't want to keep our esteemed guest waiting now would we?"
"No," The Dragon's Wrath said lowly, his hand grasping the pommel of his sword tightly as he looked up at Ban with a steadfast gaze. "Lord Cornelius Havenworth has been waiting far too long already, so let's go give him a greeting befitting a king."
Arthur led his men out of the area first, Meliodas and Ban hanging back to ensure all soldiers were accounted for before falling in line. Hawk and Waldo kicked into high gear as the stampede picked up speed, a thunderous pounding trembling the earth beneath them. At the rate they were going it would only take an hour or less to reach Liones, around the time the sun peaked over the mountains and Meliodas knew the city would be a bloodbath if Cornelius had gotten there ahead of them. He prayed it was on his end and not Liones or its alliancing soldiers. He had spent hours attempting to break down the crooked king's battle plan with a massive army and the knight had figured out all of the main pieces except for one; where would Cornelius go once he breeched the city? Would he go straight for Baltra or would he hang back until most of the troops had cleared the way? With as many troops as he had and the way that man worked, Meliodas had no doubt he would send waves of men in to try and break down the lines of defense just before entering the castle walls himself. Dawn Roar would protect the king personally and the Holy Knights along with Escanor, King, and Gowther would assist on the frontlines until ordered back. But with how many thousands of men Havenworth had and only about half of that defending the city, it was looking to be a lose-lose situation for Liones.
Light began filtering across the sky as the sun began its slow ascent, the lands becoming clearer as the platoon charged towards Liones. A few shouts spread throughout the group of soldiers as they reached the last hilltop before Liones, all stopping short, and Meliodas immediately shot his gaze upwards with eyes growing wider at the massive plumes of black smoke filling the skies in the distance. Ban cursed aloud, taking the words right from his captain's mouth. Havenworth had been attacking for hours at least, judging from the heavy smoke and flames filling the air. Though faint the Sin could smell the scent of destruction from where they were.
"Kid, what the hell are you sitting there staring for? Get yer ass moving!" A gruff voice yelled from somewhere near the rear of the platoon. Hubard slipped behind the ranking to sidle up next to the distracted knight, reaching over and smacking him hard on the back of the head. "Your kingdom is falling and yer sitting here staring like a kid at a piece of candy! Now move!"
"Ban!" Meliodas yelled and the knight nodded, kicking Waldo hard in the sides and slapping the reins down.
"Make way for the Holy Knights! Split down the center!" Hubard bellowed over the men as he fell in line behind the Sins. "Move yer asses aside!"
The sea of riders weaved out of the way as Meliodas and Ban pushed through them, men cheering the two on as they tore through with renewed vigor. Hubard closed the line up behind him with a sharp whistle as he took command of their formation with ease. As they neared the front of the group Arthur raised his hand high to signal the troops and the moment the Sins passed, he flung his arm out to the side. The men split off and fanned out into a massive line behind the knights with battle cries filling the air, swords drawn. Meliodas could barely hear the cries over the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. His home, the only placed he had ever called home, was burning to the ground before his very eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Havenworth would pay dearly for this.
"Cap'n," Ban called out as they hit the final stretch leading into the city, flames licking high above the walls. The stench of death was permeating from the walls and he could smell it from a good distance away. He spit away the bad taste before looking at Meliodas. "Don't forget the promise you made."
"The one about owing you ale? It's practically engrained into my mind by now, Ban," Meliodas shouted back as he stood in the stirrups for a higher view of the approaching entrance. Gods, the stench of destruction and burning bodies was something he'd never be able to purge from his mind. "It's about the only thing I ever promise you. That and to never let you eat my food again."
"The one where I get to officiate your wedding after this is all done and over with." Meliodas looked over at him with a notched brow and Ban snickered.
"Did I promise that? Surely you misheard."
"Nah, I never forget a promise from my best friend. Come back alive to us, yeah? You've got a princess waiting for your marriage proposal." The Sin of Greed reached his fist out to his friend, receiving a fist bump back along with a wide grin.
"And a best man to go drinking with. See you on the other side, Ban." Meliodas watched as his comrade in arms pushed ahead, sword drawn as enemies appeared just inside of the city limits. "Hawk, let's get back to the castle together, alright? Elizabeth will be upset if anything happens to you."
Hawk neighed and pulled hard against the reins. Meliodas unsheathed Lostvayne from his hip and immediately began slicing into Havenworth's hired men without mercy, the sharpened blade slitting skin with ease. Arthur's men would clean up the path behind them so he stuck to striking anyone within range as they tore through the city, heading towards the castle that seemed to still be standing tall. The obvious thing that caught his attention was that more than half of the town seemed to have been obliterated, nothing but debris left from what used to be houses and shops. Was it done by Havenworth's men in their path of destruction? That would require heavy artillery or massive amounts of explosives to do. Thick smoke created a heavy haze over the city yet the knight knew the path back to the castle by heart, having traversed it hundreds of times over the years. Bodies were heavily strewn on the pathway and he knew it had to be Ban also clearing the way back, the Sin quick and effective in killing.
Hawk did his best to dodge the larger piles of debris as they steadily climbed towards the castle and the number of enemies seemingly grew thicker the closer they got. Meliodas slipped his feet from the stirrups and leapt from Hawk's back with his arm swung back. He landed on the backs of two men, swiftly ending them before they could get up and went about tearing through the blockage. Some recognized him and shouted out in warning moments too late as the knight struck them down, bodies piling up around the blonde. Blood coated his armor as his rampage increased in intensity, all of the anger and guilt plaguing him for weeks now bubbling to the surface. It didn't matter if they dropped their weapons and pleaded for their lives, he didn't care as cold dread filled their eyes just before his weapon delivered the killing blow. All of them would pay for attacking the woman he loved, destroying his home, threatening King Baltra's life, but although the enemies before him weren't his main target they would be treated no differently. Low-life scum who dared to alliance with a cold-hearted murdering king who wanted nothing more than to rule a country that was built on the blood, sweat, and tears of the thousands of knights before him.
An explosion further up caught his attention and Meliodas watched as burning men tumbled back down over the piles of debris. The men around him began to panic, turning away from the inferno only to come face to face with the Dragon's Wrath himself. The knight exterminated them quickly and pushed through the freshly burning corpses to reach his goal, Hawk right on his heels. Shouts trickled down from somewhere up above and Meliodas recognized at least one of them, the familiarity easing the slightest bit of tension coiling in his body.
"Run while you can cowards, for the sun of The Lion's Sin of Pride will not extinguish so easily against your blades. Cruel Sun!" Escanor's voice roared over the agonized screams as yet another explosion succeeded the first. It looked like they had been pushed back to the castle gates, the men exhausted and struggling from the non-stop fighting.
"Escanor, hold your fire!" Meliodas yelled as he grabbed hold of Hawk's saddle horn and pulled himself back up on the horse, holding his blade close to his side. Any enemy in his path was ignored as the knight focused on reaching the gates without being blown to smithereens.
"Friendly incoming, cease fire!" Voices shouted over and over, the message ringing clear to all fighters. Hawk shoved through the last few stragglers that had reached the top of the stairs and skid to a halt as a swarm of fighters appeared in his vision. Cheers erupted loudly as Meliodas dismounted once more, sheathing his blade for the moment as he looked around for his fellow Sin.
"Captain, welcome back." Escanor clapped the smaller man on the shoulder heavily, the knight looking up at him with a relieved expression.
"You're a sight for sore eyes, Escanor. Good to see you again. Where are Gowther and King?"
"Greetings, Captain, we have been expecting your arrival for some time now." Gowther appeared out of nowhere with a quick salute. The man was covered in dirt and a bit bruised up but seemed fine overall. Both he and Escanor seemed to be wearing down like the others despite their years of intense training and battle skills. Their tired faces and beaten bodies only fueled the rolling anger within Meliodas' body and he would make sure Havenworth would feel a hundred times worse than all of his men.
"I got here as fast as I could. Arthur is leading the men to clear the lower portions of the city, any stragglers will be taken care of. Where's King?" Meliodas noticed the glance between Sins and the smile dropped from his face as dread filled his chest. "Don't tell me—"
"He's pretty beaten up but alive, Captain Meliodas, don't worry. We've got him stabilized for the time. It's good to see you in one piece." Gilthunder pushed through the crowd with Howzer and Griamore trailing right behind. All three were pretty bruised and bloodied but the excited expressions told the captain they hadn't given up hope just yet.
"Yo, Gil. Fill me in on the way to see King, I need to make sure he's fine."
"Of course! Havenworth has been sending wave after wave of men since around noon yesterday and originally I had the Sins and Holy Knights stationed strategically throughout the city in order to cover every corner," Gilthunder explained as he led his captain through the heavy doors and towards the infirmary tents. Excitement began sparking in the knights they passed at the sight of their returning captain, some even cheering aloud. "Once they started getting overrun I regrouped them into Phase Two which tightened defenses around the upper ring outside of the castle walls. They managed to break through that a few hours ago and we've been holding steady where we are now though it's been tough. We've lost a lot of men, Captain, we can't handle any more waves of troops."
"Hm. If he had sent all of the troops at once then he could've conquered Liones with an hour yet he delayed it by sending in waves at a time. He's stalling then like I thought." Meliodas deduced as they moved swiftly through the crowded entry way. "Arthur and his men are cleaning up as we speak and Ban is running around here somewhere. What happened to King?"
"From what both Gowther and Escanor told me, it seems he and Gowther were separated by an explosion and that left him without a blade. His luck ran out and he ran into someone he couldn't fend off. We're lucky he ended up in the city square where the other two were, if there hadn't been anyone left down there…"
"How is King Baltra holding up? Is Dawn Roar still with him?" Meliodas gazed up at the pink haired knight who nodded though his lips were pressed a bit thin.
"They're still with King Baltra in the designated area within the castle. Slader is getting a little antsy to fight though," Gilthunder laughed tiredly as he ran a hand down his face. They were all so tired, having not slept for at least an entire night. As much as Meliodas wanted to tell them all to get some rest he couldn't, not until Havenworth was dead by his hand and his men were skewered where they stood. "I should be getting an update from them soon."
"Any sightings?"
"None that have been reported and we've been constantly monitoring the grounds but I find something odd, Captain," Gilthunder ushered him aside, away from prying ears. They settled behind one of the medical tents after checking for inquisitive eyes and ears. "He keeps sending in wave after wave of men but he himself isn't making a move as far as we can tell. I figured he was waiting for you yet if he was watching from afar somewhere, wouldn't he have made himself known by now? Surely he would've seen you bring a small army towards Liones."
"Maybe it isn't the right time, Gil." The captain stated simply, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared ahead at the meandering soldiers. "Cornelius wants a showdown where everyone will watch—"
"Captain…" A weak voice interrupted Meliodas and the knight immediately entered the tent to his right, holding the canvas open for Gilthunder as well. King laid heavily bandaged in a makeshift bed against the opposite wall, weary amber eyes slowly opening to look over at his captain. A shaky hand reach out for him and Meliodas immediately dropped to one knee and grasped it firmly with both hands.
"Easy, King, don't try to move too much. You did well protecting your home so just rest now, I'll take care of the rest and end this." Meliodas told him earnestly.
"Diane…" The Sin rasped out with a bit more energy as he looked at Meliodas with hopeful eyes. "Is she…?"
"She's fine, Merlin and Elizabeth are as well. They're remaining in Havenworth's abandoned castle until it's safe to return home. Diane did well protecting the other two." King sighed, nodding his head. A heavy weight lifted from his tightly bandaged chest.
"Sorry…I'm a failure…"
"You've done your duty to protect the city, King, there's no need to feel ashamed about your injuries. Gil told me your blade was lost when you and Gowther got separated, I'm sure it wasn't easy to fight off massive waves of enemies without it. Be proud of yourself. You put your training to use and survived." Gilthunder nodded in agreement from beside the captain.
"You're not just a Holy Knight but also a Sin which takes an incredible amount of skill to be apart of, King, not just anyone can do both. You and the others are the strongest fighters in all of Liones, possibly even Britannia. Take pride in knowing you were selected for a reason. That reason brought all of us together to form an unbeatable team that protects Liones and its people." The Holy Knight tossed in. "Besides, Diane can now fawn over your battle scars."
"S-she isn't like that!" King blurted out suddenly and both knights chuckled at the outburst, a very red Sin turning his face away from the two. Whoops.
"Sure, sure, lover boy, just make sure you rest up enough to welcome her back." Meliodas released his grasp on King's hand and made to stand when the hand shot back out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
"Havenworth…I think he's already…in the castle grounds…" King panted out as he pushed to get the words out before his strength died. Both Meliodas and Gilthunder looked at him in alarm, eyes widening the slightest fraction as they shared a brief glance. "The bastard who beat me up…mentioned something about…how he wouldn't be surprised…if Havenworth was already in the castle…I think while he sent the waves of men…he snuck in somehow and is waiting…"
"The men should have told me if he'd snuck in, there's no way he could have gotten in without someone, anyone, noticing." Gilthunder spoke lowly as a few of the medics shuffled around them, tending to other patients. If this information got out then it was cause panic to ripple through the troops and kill off their reinvigorated morale.
"Who do you have stationed around the castle grounds, Gil?" Meliodas asked, emerald eyes now hard. It would be easy to sneak past the knights after hours of fighting, especially if Havenworth waited until the dead of night to do so. Likely the man snooped around the castle grounds many times in order to find a secret tunnel or entrance to gain access.
"A handful of the troops that were sent from neighboring kingdoms—you don't think…" The knight trailed off in realization and the hard nod from his captain confirmed his worst fears. "We have to round them up before anyone else gets through. How the hell did we not know? How could I have been so careless?"
"Because they slipped in under the guise that they were from neighboring kingdoms here to lend a hand. Most of the men sent to the city most likely are true soldiers but it wouldn't be hard to sneak a set of armor the night before and pretend to be a new last minute recruit. Listen carefully, I want you to discretely replace those guards one by one and separate them into a holding area until you can confirm their identities, make them talk by any means necessary, Gil." Meliodas ordered and the knight immediately snapped a salute before slipping from the tent. "If you're right about this, King, then Havenworth has been here for hours already."
"I don't know where he would go…Captain…" King released his grip and rested his hand against his abdomen once more as his lids began to grow heavy. All of his energy was used to inform the captain of his thoughts, the Sin hoping it was enough to sway the battle. "Please…protect the city in my place…"
"I'm going to go end this now, I promise." The Sin nodded tiredly before slipping into a blackened abyss.
Meliodas felt his anger growing with each step out of that tent, nearby soldiers steering clear of the man on a mission. The battle continued to rage on outside of the gates but the Sin was focused on finding Havenworth to lop off his arrogant head and place it on a pike outside of the city walls. Checking on King Baltra would normally be top priority, but if Cornelius really was here then he could potentially lead him right to the king and that was risk he couldn't take. Ban most likely was headed in that direction anyways so it took one less worry from his mind. Taking the steps two at a time Meliodas weaved his way around the side of the castle towards a place he knew all too well, a high suspicion rising within him that he would find the man he was hunting. He passed a few guards who attempted to stop him yet the cold glare sent their way quickly silenced them. It didn't take long before he made it to the sparring arena, the area completely deserted of guards and Meliodas no longer had doubts.
He was here.
Unsheathing Lostvayne, Meliodas gripped the blade tightly as he strolled past the tents with his head held high. The sand of the arena shifted with each heavy step he took, the Dragon's Wrath barely able to contain the roaring fire raging within. The sun finally rose above the castle walls, illuminating the knights shadow across the ground as he reached the center and stopped. While he couldn't see the man anywhere he knew he was there, the stench of a murderer was heavy in the air.
"HAVENWORTH!" Meliodas bellowed into the air as he remained facing forward, the grip on his sword nearly imbedding the pattern permanently into his skin. "It's time for you to stop hiding like a coward and face me! You dared to force me from my home, you dared to come barging into my city and slaughter my men! You daredto threaten my friends and family! You dared to bring harm to Elizabeth! You've pushed me too far this time, Cornelius, now come out and face the wrath of the Dragon's Sin!"
Silence filled the air as Meliodas released a heavy breath, the dam bursting and overflowing the anger that had been pent up for weeks. A slow clap caught his ear and he turned his head towards the podium where King Baltra and his daughters sat for the sparring matches. A barely illuminated shadow shifted towards the front of the box and Cornelius Havenworth leaned over the edge with an amused expression. He clapped a few more times before straightening himself up, towering form looking down upon the furious knight.
"My, my, Meliodas! I never knew you could be so passionate about things, it truly is heartwarming." Cornelius grinned wide as Meliodas shot him the nastiest look he could manage. "Come now, surely you are not too upset with me? I have only done what is necessary in order to preserve the future of Britannia."
"Britannia is to be ruled fairly by all, not by a tyrannical murderer who lies, cheats, and kills his way to the top, Cornelius. You even dared to have an assassin attempt to kill Elizabeth after beheading your own father." The king hummed in thought, stroking his chin slowly as he looked down at the angry man before him. He'd certainly done his research in the short amount of time since his departure.
"Attempted? Ah, so she survived. Pity. Who would want such a defective princess now? Did you see those bruises on her neck? I had to act in self-defense seeing as she swung a sword at my face, leaving a nice scar. Things would have gone smoother if I had just killed those two Sins of yours along with Lady Elizabeth—"
"Keep her name out of your putrid mouth, Havenworth!" Meliodas snarled viciously as he took another few steps towards the observation stand with a sadistic eagerness to slice the arrogant smirk from Cornelius' face. "Get your ass down here and fight me like a man or I'll come up there and strike you down like the coward you are!"
"What is the rush? Surely you can suffice holding off a few more minutes until our esteemed guests arrive," Cornelius almost lazily put two fingers to his mouth and blew hard, a sharp whistle resonating through the hazy air. "I am fairly positive they will want to witness such a great event."
"So you've brought someone to bear witness to your fall? Pretty arrogant of you, Cornelius, seeing as the only people you know are the ones you've either threatened or paid off." Meliodas growled. Surely he hadn't grabbed King Baltra or the princesses, Dawn Roar was a powerful group of fighters who only took missions involving killing the targets so it was unlikely but still a slim possibility. Elizabeth was still residing in the abandoned castle nearly a day away surrounded by Camelot knights and two Seven Deadly Sins. What was he up to? A sinking feeling began churning in his gut.
"Someone to see my fall?" Havenworth laughed haughtily with his head thrown back, his hand slapping against the painted wood he was leaning against. "You are a very amusing man, Meliodas, but you are wrong this time. You may have almost foiled my plans by sending your knights along with Lady Elizabeth…"
Cornelius turned his attention to the back of the booth, a hand extended out for someone. A muffled grunt caught Meliodas' attention and the knight tensed as a figure was yanked against the kings chest, the person struggling fruitlessly to break free. A bag was covering their head and their hands were tied tightly to their front, the clothes unrecognizable to the blonde as he stared hard. Cornelius shifted the person to his front and roughly shoved them against the wall of the booth with a hand on the top of the bag, a twisted grin gracing his already wild features.
"You didn't…" Meliodas breathed as dread dropped his heart deep into his stomach, emerald eyes going wide. No…she was supposed to be safe there! There was no way he could have gotten her here so fast unless some of his men were still hiding within the castles, kidnapping her as soon as there was an opening. The only time would have been right after they left, when Diane and Merlin were bidding them safe travels. It would've taken non-stop riding to reach the castle before him. Damnit! Damnit all!
"But I always get what I want in the end, Meliodas." The bag was ripped off and long silver locks fell around a familiar face. Elizabeth snapped her head up to look at the king with pure loathing when he snatched her tightly by the chin and forced her gaze down to the arena. Cerulean eyes widened and filled with tears, a delicate mouth opening to call out his name when a gag stopped her, the fabric silencing her. The princess tried to kick at her kidnapper only to be stopped as her hair was yanked back hard, forcing her head to be tilted uncomfortably.
"Let Elizabeth go now." Meliodas threatened darkly as he began walking towards the stand with heavy murderous intent, emerald eyes never leaving the terrified ones he knew and loved. Havenworth merely tsked and shook his head before the king snapped his fingers. Men rushed from every side of the arena to surround the still moving knight, weapons drawn before them. "You have five seconds to release her, Cornelius. No matter how many men you send before me I'll slice through them before claiming your life. Arthur and his knights are already cleaning up the rest of your men as are the Holy Knights. You don't have a chance of winning this."
"Understand the position you are in right now, Dragon's Wrath, for I have a key piece of this game that you would be willing to sacrifice your life for. Right now," The king yanked Elizabeth's hair away from him so the princess' eyes landed on his face, the sheer anger rolling from her body only further satisfying his sadistic needs. He traced his fingers down the side of her face, mimicking the tender motion that he knew the knight would envy. Elizabeth jerked her head in the opposite direction and Cornelius chuckled. "Unless you want your beautiful princess to be butchered before your very eyes, I suggest you discard your weapons outside of the arena. I think you need to earn your prize back the hard way."
Meliodas glanced around at the men surrounding him, sending each and every one a withering look. Even if he had to fight his way all the way to Hell and back for Elizabeth then he would in a heartbeat if it meant she would be safe. Havenworth smirked condescendingly at him and the knight slowly began loosening his grip on Lostvayne. The smirk soon slipped from the kings face as the edge of the blade flew past his face, missing his already scarred cheek by a hair's breadth before puncturing one of the seats and stilling. The Dragon's Wrath slowly unsheathed his Holy Knight blade and hurled it outside of the arena, the blade wedging into one of the legs of the observation stand. Cornelius raised his hand and motioned for someone to move forward, Meliodas intently watching for the first soldier to make a move towards him. None of them moved the slightest and emerald eyes shot back to Havenworth yet stopped short as movement outside of the arena caught his attention. Two lackeys shoved Diane and Merlin into view, the two Sins tied up as well. Blades were resting lightly against their throats as a silent warning and Meliodas locked eyes with each one.
"Just in case you thought of trying to directly reach me, I brought two more hostages from within my walls. Did you really think I would not have planned further out in anticipation of this? You tried to plan ahead for my capture yet here you are now, standing with no weapons, three hostages, and none of your friends here to help. This game will be mine to win, Captain Meliodas."
Meliodas merely let out a huff of amusement, the barest hint of a smile tugging at his lips as he kept his head down. Some of the men around him inched their weapons closer in preparation of an attack. The knight shook his blonde locks slowly before tilting his gaze to the king. A cocky grin graced his features with sharp emerald eyes boring into the hardened eyes of his enemy. Elizabeth shivered at the intensity of the gaze and glanced between him and Cornelius uneasily. Never had she seen an intense expression like that on Meliodas' face and to be honest, it frightened her. She knew of his intense fighting skills, intelligence, and cunningness, but this almost seemed like a completely different side of him. Almost as if his true self was emerging, a dark, dangerous side that washing fear over anyone nearby. Diane and Merlin merely remained still, studying the scene with calm expressions.
"Are you that sure of yourse—?"
"This game," Meliodas interrupted loudly, his voice ringing throughout the arena. "Has been my win since the beginning, Cornelius Havenworth, because you seem to have forgotten the most important piece of information from when you were looking into the reason behind my name."
"And what would that be?" Cornelius snapped with irritation, glowering at Meliodas with a deep, burning hatred. The Sin merely smirked and planted his hands on his hips mockingly.
"I've never lost a challenge."
The mercenaries descended upon the defenseless knight and all hell broke loose.