01: BITTER
The Seven Deadly Sins - Episodes 1 - 4
Ten years ago, it was in ruins on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Liones. A young soldier from the boonies paced through the streets, holding the hilt of his sword. "Hey!" an older Knight shouted, startling the younger Knight. You there, boy. Come here and give me a hand." He motioned for the boy to come toward him.
"Yes, sir!" The young Knight yelped and rushed over to the older Knight, and they began to walk along the eerily quiet streets.
"So, where are you from?" The older Knight questioned, trying to start a conversation.
"Cains, sir," He replied.
"Cains? I've been serving this Kingdom for 40 years now, and I've never heard of the place," The mature Knight remarked as they walked.
"That's not surprising, sir. It's way out in the boonies."
"Now, you mustn't get flustered if you want to be a Holy Knight apprentice."
"I couldn't be a Holy Knight in a million years," The young soldier nervously chuckled.
"Then this might be a rough job for a young fellow like you," The older soldier replied, feeling sorry for the young boy.
"Uh… huh?" He looked at the older man in concern before they came to the town's centre to see the true carnage. "Who are these…" He looked around to see bodies lying across the stone ground.
"Holy Knights, one and all," The older soldier answered.
"What happened to everyone? I don't understand," the boy quivered in fear, never having seen such devastation.
"What happened?" He repeated, not even looking at the young man. "They were all mercilessly butchered." The boy looked at the carnage in complete terror. "And in the blink of an eye, at that. By just eight people." The scene before them is pure destruction as bodies lay bleeding and dead across the town square.
{ICY HEART}
This is a tale of ancient times, an era before the human and nonhuman worlds were forever divided.
When the Holy Knights defended the realm, wielding their magical powers, they were feared and highly respected.
But among them, a group emerged that betrayed the Kingdom and became mortal enemies to all Holy Knights.
They were known throughout the land as the Eight Deadly Sins.
{ICY HEART}
In the present day, near the town of Cains, in a pop pub, the Boar Hat, full of men drinking the day away, the door swings open, revealing a man, panting, out of breath, and seeming scared. "I saw it!" The laughing and noises within the bar drop to silence as they get the man inside and sit him down with a tankard of beer in front of him, trying to calm his nerves. "No kidding! I saw it with my own two eyes! I swear by all that's Holy. It was the wandering Rust Knight I saw out there!"
"Yeah, seems like it's been on everyone's mind," One of the men at the table comments.
"Come on, they're just made-up stories people use to scare their children into behaving. 'If you don't do what I tell you, then one of the Eight Deadly Sins will come for you in blood-rusted armour!'" The drunk fakes a bad howling noise and laughs with the others.
"The Eight Deadly Sins?" Meliodas questions, gaining the table's attention.
"Oh, you mean you've never heard of them, our young tavern owner?" He asks, looking at the tiny blond.
"Their wanted posters are hanging everywhere, like those over there," the other drunk replies, looking at the posters on the wall inside a green frame.
"When was it, about ten years ago? Dozens of Holy Knights from all across the land were butchered so fast that they didn't even have time to defend themselves. And the Eight Deadly Sns were the ones who were responsible for it. From what I've been told, the way the Holy Knights' Grand Master was murdered was too gruesome for anybody to even look at," The first drunk explains, looking at the wanted posters on the wall of older versions of each of the eight Sins.
"It's said their Captain, Meliodas, is the scariest one of them all. They say he's even brought down entire countries before," One of the men adds.
"None of them have been caught yet, have they?" The fourth drunk man questions.
"Nope, not a single one," The second drunk chuckles.
"Well, I've heard rumours that they've all been dead for years now," Another drunk replies.
"Of course they're dead. They have to be. The new Holy Knights would never let them live after what they've done," A slightly sober man remarks.
"Yeah, you've got a point there. Even now, with the King sick in bed…" One of the drunks' comments.
"Bottoms up," Meliodas says, serving one of the men at the bar a drink.
"...you can bet, they are still gonna make sure that the Kingdom stays safe for all its people. But those notices that are up on the board get updated every single year," the man from before replies. "Doesn't that mean those eight criminals are still out there?" The pub goes quiet, listening to the discussion.
"Yeah, well, some spooky knight walking around in rusty armour sounds pretty ridiculous to me. Come on," The drunk chuckles.
"Guess you're right," the man from another table chuckles. The mood lightens but soon quietens as rusty clanking approaches the pub door.
{ICY HEART}
After the altercation with the wannabe Knights, Meliodas looks out at the valley. He stands with Hawk and looks at the silver-haired girl, Elizabeth. "Why are you looking for the Eight Deadly Sins anyway?" The tavern owner asks her.
"I wanna ask them to help me stop the Holy Knights," Elizabeth answers.
"Are you serious? Why in the world would you wanna do that? The Holy Knights are the King's men. They're the Knights who protect Liones! Real heroes!" Hawk exclaims, not understanding.
"But what if they were behind the plot to start a war in our country?" She replies, making Hawk oink in surprise. "The other day, except for the King himself, the entire royal family was arrested and is being held by the Holy Knights."
"Uh…" Meliodas gasps.
"Does that mean the King isn't really sick in bed?" The pig inquires, and the secret Princess shakes her head.
"That's just a cover story the Holy Knights are using. I don't know what they think they can accomplish by driving the nation to war. But now, they're drafting the people of the Kingdom. They're taking men wherever they can get them. They're preparing for war everywhere you look," Elizabeth explains. "Soon, their reach will extend all the way out here."
"That's not good," Hawk mutters.
"Yeah, tough break, huh?" Meliodas comments.
"Wow!" The pig looks at the blond. "You don't have any empathy at all, do yah?"
"So, how does this tie in with the Eight Deadly Sins again?" he asks the silver-haired girl.
"If there's even the slightest hope of preventing the Holy Knights from doing this, I know they're the only ones who can!" Elizabeth replies, raising her voice a little as she looks over her shoulder at them.
"Just checking here. You're trying to find those guys even though you know what kind of people they are?" the blond questions.
"The Eight Deadly Sins. The most vile of knights the Kingdom ever produced, made up of eight vicious, bloodthirsty criminals, each branded with the mark of a beast. Ten years ago, when they were suspected of trying to overthrow the Kingdom, the Knights of the realm launched a full-force attack, scattering them to the four winds." She explains, thinking of the armour-clad criminals turned Knights.
"Well, if you believe the rumours, they each died a long time ago," Meliodas points out, thinking otherwise.
"Such amazing people wouldn't possibly let themselves get killed!" The Princess yells.
"Hmm… But they are criminals, aren't they?" He questions, wanting to push her buttons a little.
"The Holy Knights are the ones causing the suffering of the people right now," Elizabeth exclaims and calms herself down, looking down at the grass. "Long ago, when I was small, only five or six years old, my Father would tell me stories about them. And that's when I learned they were the most powerful Knights -." She stops when a loud thud comes from somewhere, and it grows closer; they look around, not seeing anything, and then another thud rumbles as the cliff crumbles under their feet.
{ICY HEART}
After the fight with Sir Twigo, Meliodas puts his broken sword in its sheath and looks at Elizabeth. "Well, Elizabeth, I guess this means you've found your first sin, doesn't it?" He asks the girl, and the Princess looks at him in surprise. "So listen, as far as the seven others go… I've got some business to discuss, so I've started looking for them myself. I've been using the tavern as a way to gather information. But if I had a pretty girl to pull in a larger crowd, I'll bet we'd see a lot more info heading our way. How about it? Come with us?" Meliodas smiles, and Elizabeth tears up, gasping.
"Yes!" The Princess nods gleefully to join him in his adventure to reunite the Eight Deadly Sins.
"Sir Twigo! Hang in there!" One of the soldiers yells as they stand over the man in a crater from his fight, the blond tavern owner, who tries sitting up with groans of pain.
"Request reinforcements from the capital!" Sir Twigo demands. "Tell them all this is a matter of utmost importance!" He hears a noise coming from somewhere, gets closer, and looks up. He sees a giant green pig growing closer, falling toward them and landing on top of the Knights.
"Perfect time, isn't it, guys?" Hawk shouts atop the green pig as a rope ladder comes from the top to let Meliodas and Elizabeth on.
"Hey, Hawk's Mom! Way to go!" Meliodas exclaims as he jumps onto the ladder, holding Elizabeth under his arm.
"Wait, I'm the one who brought her!" He argues with the blond tavern owner.
"All right then, let's head out for the next town, guys! Come on, Hawk's Mom! Up to you now!" The Sin of Wrath yells, and the green pig begins trotting away, leaving a surprised group of soldiers as they watch them go.
"Was our meeting the work of chance or providence?" Elizabeth wonders as she stands on Hawk's Mom's back with Meliodas. "What awaited us? Despair or hope? That was hoe the adventure began for Sir Meliodas and me, as we started our search for the Eight Deadly Sins."
{ICY HEART}
Approximately 30 miles east of Cains Town in Fort Solgres, Sir Twigo and two soldiers kneel before the Holy Knight in the tallest tower. "The Eight Deadly Sins…" Gilthunder comments as he walks across the room toward the map. "... I hope it's a real one this time. I've waited ten long years for the day I can bring about their destruction."
{ICY HEART}
In the town of Vanya, Elizabeth and Hawk race to find Meliodas, who stands in the centre of town with partly destroyed houses around him, standing in a crater from the electric spear he'd stopped from wiping out the rest of the village. "I'm so glad we found you!" Elizabeth exclaims as she rushes to his side. "Sir Meliodas! Was that spear from the Holy Knight who left his sword in the ground?"
"Probably so," Meliodas replies, stretching his left bloody hand. "I think that's our cue to leave here as soon as we can."
"But what if Vanya village is attacked again?" She questions, seeing the damaged buildings around them.
"I think they'd be in a lot more danger if we were to stay," He reasons.
"It'd be nice if we could find someplace to hide out," Hawk grumbles.
"Wait a minute…" Elizabeth ponders, remembering what one of the villagers, Mead, had told her inside the tavern.
"Oink?" The pig looks up at her.
"What is it?" Meliodas asks her.
"Earlier tonight, Mead said he'd do anything not to be taken to the 'Forest of White Dreams'. In fact, he said even Holy Knights steer clear of the place." The silver-haired Princess explains.
"Really? Sounds good to me," Hawk agrees.
"That settles it then. Except that we're not gonna be hiding out. 'Cause we're gonna be doing exactly what we should," Meliodas corrects them.
"What do you mean by that?" the pig asks, and Elizabeth gasps, catching on to the blond's thought.
"You don't think…" The Princess questions.
"Yup. And I bet one of us is living there," The tavern owner replies, and she looks at him happily. "Okay! Let's find another Sin!" They quickly jump to action, travelling on the back of Hawk's Mom to the Forest of White Dreams.
"Right!" Elizabeth cheers as the villagers watch them disappear in search of more of the Eight Deadly Sins.
{ICY HEART}
"Grand Master, Zaratras…" A soldier gasped in shock, seeing the horrifying scene in front of them of the top Holy Knight, spikes impaling the man from every angle. "This is horrible."
"How could this happen to the Leader of the Holy Knights…" Another soldier muttered, and a young Gilthunder saw the scene.
"Father," Gilthunder said in shock, seeing the nightmarish scene.
"Huh?" The soldier looked over to see the young boy.
"Lord Gilthunder! Please, Young Master, you mustn't look!" The first soldier warned, trying to stop the young boy from seeing his Father in such a state.
"Who did this?" Gilthunder whimpered as he tried to breathe through the two soldiers to get to his dead Father. "Who killed my Father?"
{ICY HEART}
The following day in Vanya Village, Gilthunder and a soldier question the villagers about the tavern that magically popped up and suddenly disappeared. "Sir, it seems he left the village and made his way southwest," The soldier informs the Holy Knight, stuck in thoughts of the past.
"Is that so? The Forest of White Dreams lies in that direction," Gilthunder replies, looking into the distance.
"Yes, but, sir. That place is…" He replies, but the Knight doesn't listen, heading on horseback in that direction. "Sir Gilthunder!" He doesn't respond, and the soldier sighs before following.
"Meliodas."
{ICY HEART}
On her quest, Princess Elizabeth found Dragon Sin Meliodas, Captain of the Eight Deadly Sins.
Searching for the others, they came to the village of Vanya, famous for its spectacular ale.
There, Meliodas saved the people whose water supply had been cut off by the sword of a Holy Knight.
Then, they set out once again to look for the other Sins.
{ICY HEART}
The prankster Imps rush away, having been found out after pretending to be Elizabeth. "Look at that. They're just hide-and-seeks!" Hawk yells. "Prankster Imps! We thought they were the most of the forest?"
"After them!" Meliodas orders, running to catch up.
"Right!" Elizabeth agrees and begins to run when he stops.
"Oh, yeah!" He turns to her, handing her something. "You might need these." She looks down to see it's her panties, making her gasp in shock. "Later!" He rushes off, leaving, not wanting to face her wrath.
"You stole my underwear?" She exclaims and runs after him as they chase after the Imps.
"Keep a sharp eye on them, guys!" The blond tavern owner warns them. "There's probably something they're headed for in that direction."
"Wait, look!" The Princess gasps as the creatures come towards someone sleeping on the ground. "It's a girl."
"Oh, no way! You don't think they're planning to attack her, do you?" Hawk questions.
"A defenceless little girl like that?" Elizabeth asks in shock.
"I know, right? She's just a little…" He slows down, noticing the little girl's size.
"Maybe not…" She mutters as they see the Giantess in front of them.
"Lady Diane!" The Imps call out to the Giant brunette.
"Oh, wow. She's big," Hawk squeals.
"Lady Diane! We accidentally let some Holy Knights trespassers come in!" The Leader Imp announces.
"Uh…" Elizabeth tries to correct them.
"Lady Diane!" The Imps call out again, making the Giantess gasp awake. She slams her hand down, creating a large cloud of dust as she sits up. Seeing her sheer size, Hawk shakes and whimpers as they watch.
"Wait a minute… Is she the Sin Giant who…" The Princess gasps as she looks at her, and the Giantess stands tall over them, glaring down at them.
"Some Holy Knights got in, huh?" Diane questions.
"Whoa! She's huge!" Hawk whimpers.
"No! We are not Holy Knights. We came here…" Elizabeth begins explaining when the Giantess swipes the blond Captain from before them, making the Princess and the pig gasp. "He's gone?" They look around, and Hawk spots him.
"Look up there!" Hawk gasps, seeing Meliodas in the hands of Diane.
"You're in trouble, Holy Knight," Diane glares.
"Hold on. You're not gonna eat him, are you?" The pig yells.
"You let go of Sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth demands.
"Huh? SIr Meliodas?" Diane questions, looking closely at the blond in her hand.
"Yo, Diane! What's it been, like ten years?" Meliodas greets her offhandedly.
"Hmm?" She looks closely at him, her mood changing instantly. "Captain!" Her eyes sparkle, and she laughs and cheers as she brings him in. "Captain! Captain!" Diane chants as she rubs her cheek against his head, Meliodas unsure what to make of her display of affection. "I've missed you so much! It seems like it's been forever!"
"Captain?" Elizabeth mutters.
"Hang on. A Giant chick with pigtails is one of the Eight Deadly Sins?" Hawk questions, looking at her. "Diane, the Serpent Sin of Envy?" The Giantess stops her assault on the Captain and spots the little pig.
"Oh…" Diane sighs in delight. "Captain, you thought of everything, haven't you?" She looks down at Hawk. "You remembered how much I love whole roasted pig!"
"Huh?" Elizabeth looks at her in surprise.
"Hey, wait! Don't eat me, lady!" Hawk cries out, but Diane doesn't listen as she grabs him, makes a fire, and hooks the pig above to cook. "That's hot!" He yells, struggling to get free.
"How can I eat you without cooking you first?" Diane questions.
"That's not what I meant! Now get me out of this thing, would you? I can already feel my rump roasting!" The pig yells in a panic, trying to break free.
"Well, something's starting to smell pretty good," Meliodas compliments, still held by the Giantess.
"Hey, don't act like you can't see me down here! Do something, will you?!" He screams, and the blond complies, letting the pig go, who blows on his burning red rear.
"Mm… All right, fine. But who's this girl?" Diane asks, looking down at the Princess.
"Oh… Uh, a pleasure to meet you, Lady Diane. My name's Elizabeth and, uh… I've asked Sir Meliodas if he'd allow me to travel with him." Elizabeth explains.
"So, it's just the two of you then?" She asks, looking at the blond in her hold.
"Plus the talking pig," Meliodas replies, and the Giantess stands tall with a fake smile.
"Oh, is that so?" The brunette muses.
"Yup, and we, uh -," He begins to say when she slams him down onto the ground.
"You filthy womaniser!" Diane shouts, throwing him to the ground.
{ICY HEART}
After Meliodas explains why he and Elizabeth came to find Diane and talk, they discover they're not alone in the Forest of White Dreams when thunder clouds rumble above them. Lightning strikes the ground between the group, wrapping them all in sparks of lightning and securing them so they won't escape. Someone comes out from the mist surrounding the group, revealing to be the Holy Knight Gilthunder. "It would seem we meet at last, you Deadly Sins," he greets them with a menacing look.
"This power…" Diane gasps, looking at the newcomer.
"Yeah, there's no doubt about it. A Holy Knight, aren't you?" Meliodas questions.
"Gilthunder…" Elizabeth whispers under her breath in surprise. "Gilthunder, is that you?" She looks at him, seeing the cold look. "What are you up to? Why are you doing this?"
"You know this guy?" He asks her, looking at the Princess.
"Oh, yes. Since I was a little girl. When he was my Father's attendant. As an aid to the King and son of the Holy Knights Grand Master, he was always at the Palace. So, I kinda grew up with him," The Princess explains.
"The son of the Grand Master, huh?" The blond tavern owner ponders. "Hey, wait a minute. Are you little Gil?"
"What? You know him too?" Elizabeth shrieks in surprise.
"Sure, I even gave him lessons occasionally when I'd find myself at the royal palace!" Meliodas explains and turns back to look at the grown-up Gilthunder. "Wow, you've really grown up! Then again. It has been ten years since I've seen you."
"If you have the time to prattle along this matter. It might be better spent trying to escape those bonds," Gilthunder retorts.
"Hey, this lightning's familiar…" Hawk comments.
"I know what you mean," Meliodas replies. "When a certain someone blocked up Vanya's water supply and then tried to blow the village away, that was you, wasn't it?"
"Sir Meliodas, that can't be! You're wrong! Gilthunder wouldn't…" Elizabeth argues but stops, gasping in shock to see the hatred in his cold blue eyes. "No." She takes a step back in surprise as Diane tries to break the ties holding her.
"These can't hold me…" Diane struggles to loosen the hold.
"That's useless," Gilthunder announces, tightening the hold.
"Diane, just save it. Don't bother," Meliodas tells her.
"Captain," she grunts as she tries to break free of her binds, and Gilthunder removes his sword. He suddenly stands behind Meliodas, moving his sword to his neck and trying to intimidate the blond.
"Do you know why the Holy Knights are after the heads of the Eight Deadly Sins?" Gilthunder asks the Captain.
"Not really…" Meliodas replies.
"Half of them are seeking revenge and total eradication of the rebel order that plotted to overthrow the Kingdom. The other half went to do glorious battle and vanquish the legendary warriors to prove their own strength," The pink-haired Knight explains.
"And which half are you in?" The blond Captain asks.
"Both of them. No, I want more," Gilthunder replies, and Meliodas looks him in the eye with such a cold and determined look.
"Is that so?" Meliodas questions.
"Yes. To avenge the death of my Father, Zaratras, Holy Knights' Grand Master. And to show that I am even greater than he, the most powerful Holy Knight ever known. Killing you will prove that," He explains.
"So, you're under the impression that I'm the one who murdered your Father, is that it?" The blond tavern owner questions.
"Are you saying you're not?" He asks, thinking of a certain silver armour-clad Knight.
"No idea," Meliodas answers. "See, the thing is, I don't actually remember very much from back then."
"Captain?" Diane whispers, looking at him in shock.
"Sir Meliodas," Elizabeth mutters under her breath.
"The last thing I remember is all of us being summoned to the old castle out on the edge of town," Meliodas explains, thinking back to that day ten years ago. "I was hoping to get in a few drinks to celebrate the founding of the kingdom."
{ICY HEART}
Ten years ago, in Liones on the outskirts of the town in the old castle, the Kingdom celebrated with fireworks, while the Eight Deadly Sins arrived, walking up to the tallest room to meet with the Grand Master. "You've never needed an excuse to knock them back before," King replied to Meliodas.
"Guess you're right," Meliodas said, walking before the group of armoured Sins with his helmet off.
"Sounded like the Grand Master has something important to discuss," Merlin remarked.
"Maybe he's gonna give us a special reward for our excellent handling of that business with the Troll Queen!" Diane exclaimed, having to crouch due to her height in the castle's low ceiling.
"Well, it's all the same to me. Let's get scolded, then go celebrate," Meliodas replied.
"You expect a dressing down?" Ban questioned, chuckling a little.
"Please, he'll drink a little then pass out again," Odessa chuckled when they made it to the room, opening the door.
"Hey, we're here!" Meliodas announced, then gasped, seeing the horrific scene before them. "Grand Master!"
"That's brutal," Ban commented, holding onto Odessa, who seemed to struggle with the scent of fresh blood in the air.
"He's a pincushion!" Diane gasped.
"Who would do this?" King questioned in shock.
"More importantly, why did they target the Leader of the Holy Knights?" Merlin replied.
"You're right. The Grand Master is the linchpin of the Kingdom's defence and is practically a war god.," Ban commented and looked at Odessa, who took control of herself.
"Whoever killed him is a traitor who must be plotting to overthrow Liones," Odessa added, looking at the bloody scene.
"And they knew precisely what his loss was gonna mean," Diane said.
"I sense something!" King gasped, and Meliodas ran to the window, hearing the heavy footsteps approaching.
"Captain!" Odessa shouted, having sensed the hundreds surrounding them.
"Wait. What?" Meliodas yelped in shock, seeing the hoard of Holy Knights surrounding them. "We're surrounded by every Knight in the Kingdom!"
"There are too many of them out there to count. What are they planning to -!" Diane looked through the window with the others when the Holy Knights began to attack.
"Damn, they've started their attack!" Ban yelled, holding onto Odessa as the castle shook around them.
"We'll figure it out. But for now, let's split up. We'll meet again later!" Meliodas ordered his friends.
"Understood!" Ban agreed, and they began to retreat as the Holy Knights attacked the tower.
CAPTAIN, I'M SORRY…
Meliodas looked over his shoulder, and it went black; he remembered nothing after that.
{ICY HEART}
"Those are the last words I remember. The rest is blank. Then, the next thing I knew, I was lying down in a cellar somewhere. That's when I met Hawk," Meliodas finishes, explaining what happened.
"I knew it," Elizabeth sighs in relief. "You really weren't the ones who killed the Grand Master, were you?"
"That makes no difference to me," Gilthunder replies.
"Huh? What are you saying?" She gasps.
"Rebels and traitors who plotted to overthrow the Kingdom. That's all you people are." He continues.
"Enough, you must stop this! Didn't you hear what he just told you? They aren't the ones who murdered him! Don't you understand?" The Princess cries.
{ICY HEART}
Meliodas lies on the ground after Gilthunder's attack, and the blond grunts a little as he lies in the dirt. "I can't believe that you've gotten this powerful," Meliodas laughs, getting to his feet.
"Don't worry," Gilthunder assures him as he goes to swing at the Sins' Captain. "I'll bring the others down with you soon enough," He cuts down the blond, slicing his right shoulder, blood spurting out from the wound as he falls to the ground.
"Captain?" Diane looks down at Meliodas in disbelief as thunder rumbles above their heads; Gilthunder uses his foot to move the blond over onto his back.
"Meliodas, the Eight Deadly Sins, Dragon Sin of Wrath. Do you have any last words?" Gilthunder asks him
"The Sins, what happened to them?" Meliodas questions. "You must have heard something, right? Where have the other ones gone?"
"Very well," He replies, accepting the request and putting his sword away again. "I'll tell you. For the remaining six, four of them are still at large, and three of them are not yet accounted for. But the other two have been dealt with. The Tiger Sin of Avarice is once again ruling in a human village not far from here called White Baine. The Fox Sin of Greed is being kept under tight security at Baste Prison. The Grizzly Sin of Sloth has already been slain and is interred in the Necropolis. But you needn't worry. I'll make certain they all join you shortly."
"Thank you," The Sin of Wrath weakly replies, closing his eyes before springing back up. "Awesome!" He jumps to his feet. "Little Gil!" He looks over his shoulder, seeing the cold look in his eyes. "White Baine, Baste Prison and the Necropolis, huh? I'll go check out one or the other."
"So, that was it. You wished to know your comrades' whereabouts. So you allowed me to strike you down, right?" Gilthunder questions, looking at the blond.
"Why don't we finish this another time, 'kay?" Meliodas jokes.
"I think not," He grabs his sword and swings at the blond, who disappears as he goes to strike; they play a game of tag as Meliodas jumps away from each swing from the pink-haired Knight. "This is goodbye."
"See you," the tavern owner smirks, surprising the Holy Knight. Diane jumps in and picks up Gilthunder.
"You heard the Captain. Some other time," Diane remarks, getting ready to throw him.
"Unhand me!" Gilthunder demands, groaning as he uses his lightning to try and shock the Giantess to let him go.
"Here's a tip for you, okay? Girls get really annoyed when snivelling little runts try to shock them!" She warns him, throws the Holy Knight away, and Meliodas waves goodbye.
"Hey, thanks. Nice throw," Meliodas compliments her. "Whoa, that brace is ruined," He points to her badly melted arm brace, and she looks up, sees it and sighs in disappointment.
{ICY HEART}
The group finally escapes the Forest of White Dreams, heading to their next destination. Meliodas sits on the Giantess' shoulder outside with the three wanted posters as he talks to Diane. "Apparently, Odessa, the Sin of Avarice, is ruling over a human village again, Ban, the Sin of Greed, was thrown behind bars, and King, the Sin of Sloth, is already dead and buried by now. Think that's true?" Meliodas asks her.
"Well, I'm not really sure. After all, I'm not interested in any man but you. Still, the important thing is…" Diane shows her wanted poster. "Look at what a sexy babe I am. A lot can happen in ten years, can't it?"
"But that's just a drawing. It's made up," The blond tavern owner jokes and jumps off her shoulder. "All right, I've decided!"
"Aw! You could've kept riding," The Giantess sighs in disappointment.
"First step, we should go to White Baine and get Odessa, then head for Baste Prison and grab Ban!" The blond Captain announces.
"All right! Sounds good to me, Captain," She cheers, and even Hawk's Mom agrees.
"What made you wanna pick that place first?" Hawk asks him.
"It's closer," Meliodas jokes.
"You're such a chump!" He grumbles under his breath.
"Nah, Captain is right, we should get Odessa first before we even think of rescuing Ban," Diane jumps in, surprising the pig.
"Why?" Elizabeth asks, still worried about Meliodas' gaping wound.
"They're together," Meliodas answers, shocking the others, even Diane, who didn't seem to know that little piece of information.
"What?" The others question, looking at the Sin of Wrath.
{ICY HEART}
Not far from the two Sins travelling in search of more of their friends, heading for White Baine, needing to find Odessa first, unaware that three Knights are following them as they go to search for the Tiger's Sin of Avarice. And within the icy walls of the castle hidden in the depths of White Baine, in one of the many bedrooms, a beautiful blue-haired woman lies in a large king-sized bed, sleeping under the moonlight that seeps through the partially open curtains.
{ICY HEART}
"Whoa!" Diane exclaims, surprising the others as they hurry out of the Boar Hat.
"What is it, Diane?" Meliodas asks, looking in front to see a massive ice wall stretching for miles and high. "Okay, now I get it."
"What is that?" Hawk squeals, looking at the ice wall. "How are we going to get inside?" Meliodas doesn't answer and jumps towards the obstacle in front of them. He unleashes his broken sword, slashes at the ice wall, and lands on the ground as the blocks of ice fall to the dirt, creating a cloud of dust.
"Sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth calls out in worry, unable to see him through the giant cloud of dirt. The cloud soon settles, and the blond stands unharmed, apart from his slowly bleeding shoulder from his encounter with Gilthunder.
"It's all good. Hawk's Mom, stay here," Meliodas orders, and they head through the smallish opening through the thick ice wall.
{ICY HEART}
The group makes it through the thick ice wall; some expect the land in front of them to be a winter wasteland but are pleasantly surprised at the beautiful grassy landscape. "Whoa! Are you sure Odessa is here?" Diane asks, knowing the woman can be as cold as the ice she creates.
"Yep! That ice wall is proof enough," Meliodas replies, and they begin walking down the delicately placed stone path that seems to go on for miles.
"What is Lady Odessa like?" Elizabeth asks out of the blue as they walk.
"She's hard to explain, really. She's different with different people. She might like you or not. She'll let you know," He answers, thinking of the beautiful, cold, blue-haired woman.
"Even in the Sins, she only likes a few of us," Diane huffs, remembering the woman in question, who doesn't like her at all for some unknown reason to the Giantess.
"I see," Elizabeth mutters, wondering what the Tiger Sin is like. "What's that ahead?" She asks, seeing the snow clouds hovering above a tall mountain range.
"Odessa," Meliodas answers as they approach the village dipped in two inches of snow. They feel the cold, but it's bearable. "This is definitely Odessa's doing." He looks around the quaint village, which has a frozen river running down the middle and three large glasshouses on the outskirts of the small town. "Absolutely, Odessa." He thinks of the first time he came to a human village that the ice-cold woman first occupied.
"Why are they looking at us all strange?" Hawk questions, looking at the small number of villagers peaking at them with curiosity and distrust.
"I don't know," The blond answers, looking around at the houses and seeing some scamper away. "But I think we're in trouble." He spots a small group of men dressed in all-white military outfits marching towards him.
"Sir Meliodas, Our Lady wishes to speak with you," the first soldier announces, looking at the blond. He then grabs the tavern owner by his uninjured shoulder and escorts him.
"What are you doing with him?" Elizabeth demands, growing worried for him due to his injured shoulder.
"It's fine, don't worry about me," Meliodas assures her, letting the soldiers lead him away. "So, where are we going?"
{ICY HEART}
The soldiers lead the strange group to the mountain that looms over the quaint village. Large iron doors lead into the mountain's depths, and they find themselves in the centre with a massive stone castle in the middle. "Whoa! Odessa did well," Meliodas comments, looking at the giant stone palace with the gloomy light shining from the top of the mountain's opening and cold blue glow from inside, shining out of the windows.
{ICY HEART}
The guards swing the frosted glass doors as the group arrives at the grand throne room with blue marble floors, walls and ceiling. A royal red crest hangs behind the imposing ice-made throne up the stone steps, and a glass window shines light from the side of the room onto the throne. Meliodas looks around, seeing dozens of white flowers around the room as he stands on the red carpet that leads to the raised platform. "So, where is Odessa?" The Sins' Captain asks the guard, expecting his friend already waiting for them.
"She is in her chambers at the moment," the soldier replies, standing by the frosted glass doors guarding the exit.
"Why is that?" Diane asks, crouching because the ceiling is not high enough for the Giantess.
"Our Lady is resting, conserving her remaining energy," he informs them. Meliodas frowns, wondering why she would do that, knowing her true nature, unlike the other Sins, and worrying about her.
{ICY HEART}
Meanwhile, a guard hesitantly knocks on the main chamber door within the castle, and the occupant stirs awake, feeling the effects of hardly any fresh blood in her system for over a month. "My Lady, there are four newcomers. A small man, a white-haired woman, a Giant and a pig. They seem to know you." The soldier announces, his voice quivering a little, but he knows she will not harm anyone within White Baine.
{ICY HEART}
"Resting?" Elizabeth asks, but before the group can get an answer from the guard, the iron door opens from the side of the raised platform, startling them when someone walks toward the icy throne. They hear the sound of heels clicking on the stone floor tiles of the throne's high platform.
"Well, well, it's good to see you again," a sultry voice comments. They look at the owner to see a woman with long waist-length cotton blue hair dressed in a white and black military-style dress and above-the-knee-length white high-heeled boots, both with black detailing.
"That's what you look like?" Diane mutters, looking at the woman she has only ever seen, Odessa, in her silver armour.
"Yes. I forget you and a few of the other Sins never saw me out of my armour." Odessa remarks, hearing the Giantess because of her sensitive ears and smirking at Diane's surprised look, careful not to show her fangs. "What are you doing here, Meliodas?"
"Well—," Meliodas answers, but he is interrupted by a loud booming sound outside the castle, shaking the mountain.
"My Lady! Holy Knights are attacking!" A soldier shouts, racing into the throne room after slamming the frosted glass doors open.
"Gather all of the guards! Protect the villagers." Odessa orders them, walking down the steps and moving toward the group of newcomers. "You've brought trouble with you, as usual, Meliodas. You will come with me." She passes them out of the room.
"Sure thing." He agrees, trailing after her with Elizabeth and Diane close behind, though Hawks quivers at the intense stare of the bluenette.
{ICY HEART}
Odessa steps out of the iron gates, guarding the castle and glaring, seeing plumes of smoke coming from the village. "Those bastards…" the blue-haired woman growls, jumping from the ledge and leaving the others behind.
"Has hot-blooded as before," Meliodas comments before running to catch up with Odessa. "Elizabeth, stay here!"
"Wait, Sir Meliodas!" Elizabeth calls after him, but he's already gone, with Diane not far behind. She sees a large iceberg shoot out of the ground in the centre of the smoke, seeming to extinguish the flames.
"What the hell!" Hawk shouts, watching as large icicles form above the village before shooting into the ground, and a painful blood-curdling scream follows.
"Sir Meliodas!" she screams, running down the bath as the battle continues. Hawk dashing behind her to keep up.
{ICY HEART}
Elizabeth tries catching her breath. Once she arrives back in the snow-covered village, she sees the people safely being led by the soldiers away from the fight that seems to be coming to an end. "Tell me why you came here!" Elizabeth hears Tiger Sin growling as she walks closer to the smoking scene. She finds Meliodas perfectly fine, watching something with Diane smothering the flames with her feet.
"Please!" A man screams as the Princess approaches Meliodas, who turns, sensing the woman.
"Why did you come here?!" Odessa shouts, and Elizabeth watches as the blue-haired woman stomps her heeled boot into the chest of the Holy Knight, lying on the ground bloody.
"I'm just following orders! Please!" The man shouts and coughs up blood.
"You have to stop her!" Elizabeth whispers, unaware that Odessa can hear her.
"I won't get inbetween Odessa and her kill," Meliodas replies, folding his arms as he watches. "Anyway, it looks like she's almost done with him."
"Whose orders?!" Odessa demands, but the man coughs up more blood before going still.
"I think you were a little rough on him," Diane comments, looking at the dead Holy Knight.
"I don't think so," She replies, moving away and seeing the Princess watching in fright along with the pig. "Now, Captain, what are you doing here?"
"We're getting the Sins back together," Meliodas beams at her, making her frown.
"I see…" The blue-haired woman muses before she feels light-headed, and the world darkens.
"Odessa!" He shouts, reaching for her and catching the Tiger Sin before she hits the ground.
"What happened?!" A soldier shouts, running towards them.
"I think she used up all her energy," the blond tavern owner informs them, letting the man take his friend from him. Then, they head towards the castle again.
{ICY HEART}
After a few hours, Odessa wakes from her nap after exerting the remaining energy she has saved in the last five years. A knock wakes her from her slumber; she barely has the energy to open her eyes, let alone speak. Another knock makes her hum, which seems enough to let the person in the corridor know she's awake. The door to her bedroom opens to reveal Meliodas and a guard. "Hey! You're awake!" Meliodas exclaims, making the soldier nervous as he looks at Odessa, who sits in her bed, not looking impressed. "The guards were telling me you haven't been eating." He sighs, becoming serious. "I'm impressed. But I don't understand why you would do that?"
"I promised Ban," Odessa answers in a low voice.
"I see. Well, as your Captain, I authorise you to drink the blood of those Holy Knights that you killed." He says, surprising her and making her jerk her head up to look at him. She sees the guard holding a jug, which she can smell full of blood. "Then we can head out and get Ban." Before he can say anything further, Odessa disappears from the bed and appears in front of the guard, who jumps, almost dropping the jug, but she takes it from him, drinking greedily. Odessa soon pulls away from the jug, which is almost licked clean by the blue-haired woman, who looks at Meliodas.
"Where. Is. Ban?" The Vampire demands, looking at the short blond man, who chuckles nervously.
"Baste Prison."
{ICY HEART}
Odessa doesn't bother to pack much as she readies to leave White Baine to rescue Ban, who is being held prisoner. Meliodas explained why they went looking for her first before Ban, and she understood, but she isn't happy about what happened to him once they lost each other five years ago. Ban got drunk and accidentally lost track of Odessa and wound up in the hands of the Holy Knight, but she wonders why he didn't escape on his own.
Odessa heads out of her room and the castle to find all her subjects and guards waiting for her with Diane, Meliodas, the Princess and the pig. "GOODBYE LADY ODESSA!" The crowd shouts, surprising the Tiger Sin, who looks close to tears but blinks them away. "AND GOOD LUCK!"
{ICY HEART}
The Sins, the Princess, and the pig finally make it out of White Baine to Hawk's Mum, surprising the Vampire, who looks at the giant green pig and heads inside. "And where will I be sleeping?" Odessa asks, looking around at the tavern with slight distaste, as she's been living in a castle over the last few years. She has high standards.
"I have a spare room you can use," Meliodas informs her, smiling, though he starts feeling the effects of the blood loss from his earlier fight with Gilthunder.
"I will find it myself. You need to rest. I can smell the blood," The Vampire replies, moving away with her bag up the stairs at the back of the pub.
{ICY HEART}
The tavern begins to move, heading for the village outside Baste Prison on their way to rescue Ban. Odessa settles into her new room, finding it adequate for her and Ban while they travel with the others. Downstairs, she can hear Meliodas talking to the Princess, but Odessa doesn't much mind Elizabeth. At first, she was shocked at seeing the woman.
{ICY HEART}
"Uh, I don't think you should do this!" Elizabeth blurts out, worried for the Meliodas as they settle back into The Boar Hat tavern; the Princess moves around downstairs as the blond Captain pulls away. "For now, I think tending to your injury should be our top priority. In your condition, facing off with another Holy Knight could mean…" He looks at her, comes up with an idea, and crouches under her skirt.
"This might make me better," Meliodas lies, smirking as he sits under her skirt happily.
"C-Could it really?" she questions, looking down at him as Diane glares at them through the tavern's window.
"Of course, it can't!" Hawk exclaims, making Meliodas get out from under the Princess' short skirt.
"Come on, Elizabeth," Meliodas assures her, patting her head. "Don't worry about me. This is no big deal. A little sleep and I'm good to go. Good night," he waves to them as he walks towards the stairs, heading upstairs to his bedroom.
"Knowing him, I thought for sure he was gonna ask you to help keep him warm in bed," the pig remarks, and Elizabeth grows worried for the blond Captain.
"I'd better go check on him," Elizabeth mutters and rushes to the stairs.
"If you have to," Hawk mutters, watching her follow Meliodas upstairs.
{ICY HEART}
Elizabeth walks upstairs to Meliodas' room, knocking quietly on the door. "Sir Meliodas, pardon me. Can you change on your own?" She asks through the door but doesn't get a disgusting reply and grows worried. She opens the door with a sigh but doesn't see him at first. She spots the empty bed; her eyes travel down to the floor, seeing the blond lying on the floor with his sword lying next to him and blood. "Sir Meliodas? Are you?"