A/N: Once again I have arrived to drop yet another spontaneous update! We're actually a decent chunk into the film now (about forty minutes in) and I have to say I REALLY enjoyed writing up this chapter. Quite a lot happens and some of my own little changes to the characters actually take effect. I can't wait for you all to get that far into the chapter.
Also, can we get some reviews for this fic? Pretty, pretty please. 'Behind the Clouds' is looking pretty sad and lonely.
Till next time,
Drama
Chapter Eight: Bombs and Smoke
War never was a very pretty thing. Even when it was glorified, celebrated and revered by society itself, war was never an attractive nor wanted thing. Bloodshed, destruction and death were always things that a nation tried to ultimately avoid. Widespread suffering and the collateral damage of a large-scale conflict had always been the greatest opposition to any well-established nation or governmental system.
So why did nations always have to go to war?
Simmering within his brain, sitting within the synapses of his neurons, Meliodas couldn't help but focus on that one key question: why did nations go to war? If war was such a terrible thing, filled with so much death and so many unwanted consequences, why did it always end up breaking out? Why did governments, the conveniently cushioned rulers and monarchies, always get their people to fight it for them?
Ever since the start of this war, fueled by the disappearance of that prince, those questions had been on loop within his mind. Repeating on a reel, echoing within his thoughts, Meliodas couldn't escape those questions without answers no matter how hard he tried to. Constantly, he was thinking about why this war was happening.
Maybe that was why he had turned down the king's request to join the war effort. Maybe that was why he had gone into hiding, using fake names and establishments to keep himself hidden. Maybe that was why he was now here, trying to contain the damage as much as possible, watching as town after town fell to the warships and corrupted armies, storming and raiding and burning all they could in their conquest for victory.
War was never a very pretty thing. But that didn't mean it had to be completely abhorrent. At least, that was how it used to be.
Now things were different. Now wizards and witches sold their very humanity to ruling governments and monarchies that couldn't care less about them. Slowly, gradually, they would dwindle out and no longer exist. Slowly, gradually, they would become unrecognisable monsters, hunted and slain by the very people who had used them in order to win their wars. All of them knew that; all of them were dreading that ever-nearing day.
But not Meliodas.
Becoming something unrecognisable, selling himself out to the service of the crown, was the last thing he'd ever do. Especially when the war they were fighting was nothing other than a childish squabble, fueled by every excuse under the sun just to avoid seeing the truth behind it all.
Pathetic. That's what Meliodas saw it as every time he returned from the black panel of the magic door. All of this was completely pathetic. But there was nothing he could really do about it aside from protect himself. There was nothing he could really change except for everything that revolved around himself.
Every time he returned from that dark place, Meliodas would always feel traces of it lingering. Returning home after seeing the effects of the war was never a pleasant thing - especially when it involved an equally unpleasant thing. Going to that place reminded him of his own gradually lost time; using his power to survive within that hell zone was just as risky as those magicians who used theirs to fight in those same wars.
"Whoa, you look rough," Hawk was never one to hide his honest reaction whenever Meliodas returned from the black door. No, Hawk was always the one who was the most honest about it, the two more or less tethered together by fate ever since he had swallowed that shooting star.
Nevertheless, Meliodas couldn't even bring himself to respond to the tiny flame. Aware of how much he had lost already, knowing that he probably did look a right mess, all he could do was plonk down on the chair in front of the fire place. Letting the darkness recede from his skin, sucking back in the power he'd used for the day, always was a somewhat painful process. But by the fire, at least, it was made that tiniest bit more bearable.
Gritting his teeth as he felt the sharp sting of his darkness shrinking in on itself, Meliodas threw his head back, eyes closed as he faced the ceiling. Complete concentration was needed to do this efficiently - at least if he didn't want to draw too much attention to how painful it was.
"You know, you shouldn't keep flying around like that," Shaking his head - or rather rippling his flames - Hawk sighed as he looked at his friend, "One day you won't be able to return to yourself. You know that as well as I do," Now reaching for a log, which Meliodas noticed to be a new addition to his little fireplace, the fire demon continued with a wide grin, "Isn't this great?" Tapping on his piece of wood, he added, "Elizabeth put these here for me!"
Ah yes, Elizabeth. That girl who had managed to sneak her way to the Wastes. Somehow, someway, she had found herself out here all alone - a far cry from any place where someone like her should have come from. Next to the Wastes were simple villages, hamlets and parishes, dotted with shepherds, old farmers and tiny communities galore. City girls, town girls, were more or less extinct in these parts of the country.
Yet, Elizabeth had just turned up here. Apparently Hawk had been behind her spontaneous appearance. A lot of Meliodas' gut instinct told him that it was quite the opposite: she'd found her way here by herself.
"The war's getting worse now," Meliodas decided to change the subject, frowning a little more deeply as he addressed Hawk. Noticing that his neck felt a little stiff, he clicked it. "They've bombed all the way from the southern coast to the northern border. It's nothing but flames now."
"I hate all the bombs and gunpowder," Hawk grumbled, snacking on his log. Dancing within the black pupils of his eyes, something pensive and stormy punctuated his words as he added solemnly, "Those dopey guys have no manners."
"My own kind attacked me today," Although laced with a hint of sadness, the irony did not escape Meliodas. Instead it was expressed in a short puff of a laugh, a huff of a chuckle, as he gave a wry smile to the crackling fire. Being attacked by his own kind was nothing new - Meliodas had been on the run for years now - but today's event had been different. Almost eye-opening in a sickening way, "They came from the warships."
"You mean the Witch of the Waste?" Hawk, confused, now bristled a little as he stared at his companion. Halting in his snacking, burning up the log within his hot hands, the tiny fire seemed almost concerned as he let the loaded question hang in the air. "I thought she was on the run too?"
"No, it wasn't her. It was some crazy wizards who turned themselves into monsters for the king," Meliodas sighed, shaking his head. That witch was yet another problem he had to deal with - a problem that had come and caused another problem which now directly stayed under his roof. Letting out another sigh, the blonde ran a hand over his face, "It seems like they're using more and more ways to suck us all into the war."
"Those wizards are going to regret working for the king," Hawk stated, a melancholic note to his wise little voice. Glancing at Meliodas, meeting the stare of his fatigued green eyes, the fire grimaced as he continued with a lowered gaze, "They'll never be able to be human again."
"After the war they won't remember ever being human," Meliodas scoffed, recalling that lesson well himself. Using such powerful techniques came with equally as horrible consequences. That was why he couldn't keep going through that black doorway, couldn't keep using his darkness to try and keep himself safe. Using his darkness came with a cost, just like how those wizards were paying a terrible price for becoming such powerful monsters. For the king no less.
"Hey, aren't you meant to report to the king too?" Innocent, unknowing, Hawk asked the dreaded question as he pulled out another log of wood. And it made Meliodas' stomach turn. Much too abruptly.
"I'm tired," Getting up from the chair, ready to escape the conversation, Meliodas let out a very exaggerated yawn as he faked a stretch, "Heat some water for my bath."
Because no-one could ever feel squeaky clean after seeing the atrocities he had seen. Not even the most hardened and experience of war veterans.
However, just as he was about to head upstairs, Meliodas paused. Catching a glimpse of something new (a curtained section that had never been there before) the blonde couldn't help but be intrigued by what was hidden behind it. Being a creature of habit, his brother - Zeldris - had never been that keen to change; Hawk himself was content as long as he was constantly fed and kept alight. So to see a change, in his castle no less, was strange. One could even say intriguing.
Drawing back the curtain - just a smidgen - Meliodas wasn't left disappointed as he revealed its hidden curiosity. Guarded eyes studied the sleeping form of the castle's newest occupant, her silver hair heaped about her face, petal pink lips parted into the slightest 'o' as she took in steady, even breaths. Like every other time he had caught her off guard, unaware that someone was watching her, Elizabeth appeared peaceful and serene. There were no signs of her curse, no indicators to that terrible self-consciousness that she carried with every controlled action.
Right now she was exactly as he had first met her. Only, the difference between her being awake and asleep was unmistakable: two white, feathered wings betrayed her true identity.
When he had seen her that morning, Meliodas had wondered how she was cursed, drafting up numerous theories upon why that would happen to her of all people. Of course he knew deep down that she was most likely preyed on because he had been seen with her. The day he had stumbled across Elizabeth, the blonde had unfortunately gotten her tangled into the web of his own complicated lies, selfishness and cowardice. Relentless, the Witch of the Waste was still looking for him; merciless, she thought that Elizabeth was her ticket straight to him.
Now, Elizabeth was cursed to be something that she wasn't, her true nature, her true inner beauty, hidden by whatever terms that witch had set. But even so, that didn't mean that Meliodas didn't find it enchanting.
Goddesses were a rare sight in this country, thinly spread across the continent ever since the fall of Danafor. In the past they had been known for their closer relation to whatever divine beings had created this planet, worshiped and respected by all. At least, it had been that way before the age of magic, before humans grew too greedy and had decided to take all that the goddesses had ever learned or known.
Sometimes, at least in the few instances where he had been around her, Meliodas would catch a glimpse of that ancient knowledge in Elizabeth. At times he had caught a glimpse of the goddess hidden within her, something like wings seeming to materialize before abruptly disappearing in the blink of an eye. The only thing that remained constant was the triskelion symbol hidden within her eyes, the three-pronged shape being impossible to miss once you looked closely enough.
Only people like Elizabeth, those born with ancient knowledge of the world, had that.
However, all prolonged peeping came to an abrupt halt when Hawk gave a slight cough, the fire demon expectant as he glared at his master. His master that had all of a sudden become infatuated with this strange woman who had very suddenly stumbled into the castle.
"Yes, I'm doing it now, Hawk," Almost rolling his eyes out of exasperation, Meliodas moved away from the curtain, silently sliding it along.
His gaze lingered. Hawk's stare did not waver.
"Alright! I'll do it now!" Meliodas groaned, highly aware of the fire's disapproving thoughts.
Another scoff from Hawk and Meliodas then disappeared upstairs, the sound of running water soon following.
Springing bolt upright, Elizabeth woke with a start. Something loud was rattling in the background, sounding a lot like pipes, but her brain couldn't make much sense of it while still muddled with the confusing fog of her dreams. Instead, blinking as she gasped and grabbed at the short tendrils of her hair - intending to tie it up - Elizabeth pulled back at the impromptu wall she and Zeldris had fashioned for her.
"Is Meliodas back?" Peering out from the gap in her curtains, Elizabeth raised a brow at Hawk. Still in the process of tying her hair, the young woman looked startled as she pushed off the thick layer of her quilt and swung her legs off the edge of the couch.
Now eating away at the pile of wood that Elizabeth had left out for him, Hawk let out a small snort at the mention of the wizard. From his eyes roll and facial expressions alone, the goddess could read the answer to her innocent question almost instantly. Sometimes Hawk didn't need words to translate the thoughts buzzing around in his mind; sometimes his actions and body language conveyed it all perfectly.
"What do you think?" Frowning as he devoured more of his kindling, Hawk couldn't help but grouse as he worked away. Shoveling the material toward his mouth, the tiny fire demon shoved an entire log within his mouth. In a matter of seconds, an entire log disappeared, melting into a glowing pile of silver ash. "Who else would make up so much noise and use up all my precious hot water?"
Unable to fight back the smile that quirked at the audacious firecracker's words, Elizabeth blushed as she covered her tiny giggle with a delicate hand. Hawk was definitely interesting. A little flaming spirit in the middle of a wasteland made to be hidden away within the steep cliffs of the country and their swirling, misty atmosphere. Really, it was no wonder why Meliodas had found him and taken a liking to him. Such a bright little flame would be impossible to miss.
Smiling to herself at the thought, Elizabeth tucked her knees to her chest and hummed as she watched Hawk burn away. It seemed there was a lot she had to learn about Meliodas. As mysterious as he was powerful, something about him drew her attention - as well as her ever-growing concern. Even if it hadn't been directly shown, Elizabeth couldn't help but feel like Meliodas was searching for something, needed something, that was taking a toll on him. Creating risks for him. Then there was his brother, Zeldris. No doubt he too had his own burdens to carry, his own worries concerning his older brother.
Despite all the tales and fantasies she had heard about Meliodas, it seemed that many of them did not hold completely true. If anything, they all portrayed one aspect of him, projected a single facet of the true enigma he could be. Everyone only knew of one of his faces, the eye-catching and charming and goofy side of him.
But why?
"I wouldn't worry about that scum if I were you," Speaking out into the dimly lit room, Hawk's black eyes bore directly into Elizabeth's as he chomped on some scraps of charred bark. Smoke swelled from his nostrils as he snorted, "He's not worth a pretty thing like you's concern. Not at all."
"I'm not that pretty," Another laugh bubbling from her lips, Elizabeth shook her head as Hawk continued to babble, objecting her statement, "I'm just a cleaning lady."
But even with the fire demon's warm company, talking didn't distract Elizabeth from her cold worrying. It couldn't. Forever there, lingering within the marrow of her bones, the concerns and worries were something she always had - no matter who the person she worried about was. Maybe it was because she cared too much. Maybe it was because Elizabeth knew what it was like to have no-one care at all. Whatever it was, she was certain of one thing: she wanted to help Meliodas.
Even if it meant she'd forever only be his cleaning lady.
Bright and warm, the following morning's weather was almost like a good omen as Elizabeth woke up and got ready for her daily tasks. For once, she felt unrushed as she changed out of her flowing, frilly nightgown and brushed her silver hair. But perhaps that was because she no longer had her lengthy familiar locks and didn't have to listen to the constant chatter of the other girls who stayed at the hatter's shop.
Alone, with only Hawk's flickering flames for company, Elizabeth could actually think as she got ready. Such a luxury allowed her to emerge from her curtained realm with a small smile, determined to make this day one worth the wonderful weather. Especially as she was now close to the sea - something she had never gotten to see in person before. Due to their history, her mother had always feared going to the coast. But now there was nothing stopping Elizabeth; without her fluffy wings no-one could know of her true origins.
So, with a basket in tow, Elizabeth made her wish to go outside clear to Zeldris once he slunk downstairs. Disguised as a shopping trip for supplies - which the house staff often did during Elizabeth's youth - she had managed to pester the man into accompanying her. Since he was used to the area, the places which would be worthwhile to explore, he would be a valuable asset. Otherwise Elizabeth may return with no money and little to show for it.
"I don't know why we're doing this," Grumbling, Zeldris wore a gloomy expression as he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. Sprouting from his face came the gray hairs of a long beard, making him look like a tiny, old man. Apparently, it was less suspicious for them to walk around under the guise of a grandfather and his granddaughter going on a shopping trip. Although Elizabeth felt Zeldris only made that up as he didn't want to be seen in public with her.
He did have quite a liking to that blonde woman from yesterday...
"It's good to get out and see your surroundings. Plus I've never seen the sea before," Trying to remain upbeat, to not call out Zeldris' obvious attempts to get out of her plans, Elizabeth flashed a tiny, innocent smile, "Doesn't it look gorgeous?"
To her, someone who had never seen the sea in person before, it absolutely did. Shimmering, glittering blue spread for as far as the eye could see. Slight ripples swelled on the smooth surface, glittering even more in the bright sunlight of the clear skies. Plus the salty scent and the echoing call of seabirds in the air just sent a pleasant chill within her spine. Relaxing. Peaceful. Serene. Without a doubt Elizabeth could say that the sight of the sea put her at ease.
"It always looks like that," Dismissing her awe and wonder, Zeldris simply shrugged as he walked beside her. Not even the sea could brighten his stormy mood.
"Good morning," Tipping his hat to the pair, a man walking past gave a tiny, friendly grin.
"Good morning!" Grinning back, Elizabeth's response was as bright as the sun itself as she enthusiastically tried to blend in with the local etiquette. Back home, in the town, no-one really said 'good morning' to random people that they passed. Busy, skeptical, quiet, the people in larger towns and cities tended to mind their own business and go about their own days. Only people that they recognised, forged strong bonds with, were given the wonderful feeling of a cheery 'good morning'.
Zeldris seemed to share the same mindset as city folk. Only a low grunt left his system at the man's greeting, his gaze fixed to the cobbled streets ahead. Nothing seemed to shake this man out of his grumpy mood - well, nothing aside from that blonde woman and a handful of other things.
Continuing along the street, following the gentle slope downhill toward the town's harbour, Elizabeth allowed the quiet to sink between herself and Zeldris. Five minutes, all it took was five minutes of walking to be transported to the bustling heart of Vaizel.
Shrill and high-pitched, the seagulls all flocked and fluttered around the space, their white wings flapping as they surrounded market stalls or eyed the glittering catches of fishermen's boats. Between the gulls were the freshly painted hulls and masts of small boats, all crafted from wood and either sail or oar-propelled. Looping in black paint were the names of each ship, many of them religious or from ancient tales passed down between the villagers.
Further along the harbour, crafted from stone and yet decorated with flowers or brightly painted signs, were the market stalls themselves. Fruit and vegetables, fish and grains, and fabrics and wines, were all being traded at this humble village's docks. Countless vendors harked and beckoned for people to visit their stalls, showing off their produce and haggling down to the best possible prices. Most impressive of the stalls were the fish mongers, all decked out with sparkling fish that still gleamed with fresh sea salt.
Busy. Overall, the harbour of Vaizel was busy. Honestly, it was no wonder why the rest of the village was so quiet; everything important and wonderful and eye-catching was placed right here, in the heart and centre of the little fishing community.
"I hate potatoes," Pulling a face as Elizabeth approached a vegetable stall, eyeing the produce with a careful glance before putting them in her basket, Zeldris frowned.
For the past while he had been saying that he didn't like anything that she picked up, arguing that he and Meliodas didn't eat much and so Elizabeth shouldn't waste her time. Stubborn and determined, Elizabeth had simply taken to ignoring his grousing. Food was important, after all, and even if they were not normal by convention Meliodas and Zeldris certainly had to eat. Breakfast from the day before certainly proved that to be true.
"Pay up, please," Elizabeth simply nodded toward the vendor once she was done, picking up her basket and moving to the next stall.
Grumbling under his breath, Zeldris rolled his eyes as he pulled out his coin purse and dropped a handful of silver coins into the awaiting vendor's hand.
"Thanks have a nice day," Cheery and bright - just like the weather - the man pocketed his pay.
Now Elizabeth had moved to the fish mongers, wanting to experience picking out fresh fish. During her childhood, she had seen her maids do the task countless times. Bundled up into a carriage, her bonnet stuffed on top of her silver curls, Elizabeth would beg to be taken into town whenever the staff went shopping. Each and every time, her hand held tightly within the maid's, she would intently watch as they scoured the produce, poking at vegetables and examining meat and fish with a keen gaze.
Many years later and Elizabeth was doing the same. Picking up glimmering fish, examining their gills and pretty scales, she was ensuring that each one she selected was suitable for consumption. Even if it took her about ten minutes to move onto the next fish.
"I hate fish," Once again, Zeldris had started up his grump routine. Impatient, annoyed, Elizabeth could tell that he did not appreciate her lengthy observations of each fish.
"Well- "
Ringing. Sonorous ringing filled the air, piercing through the harking calls of the seagulls and the beckoning voices of the vendors. Immediately, all heads turned toward the source of the strange sound and all too soon people were running, men and woman alike rushing toward the front of the docks in a flurry of feet and voice and noise. Behind his stall, the fish monger was frowning, a hand shielding his eyes from the glaring sunlight as he tried to look ahead.
"One of the ships is on fire!" One young man yelled out, holding his cap firmly to his head, "It looks like there's been a serious battle."
"Sorry Lady, we're closed!" Hopping over his stall, joining the rushing fray of people all flooding toward the edge of the docks and harbour, the vendor soon disappeared into the crowd.
Turning to examine the source of all the hurry, Elizabeth frowned as she fixed her gaze onto the open end of Vaizel's harbour. Within seconds, the ringing grew louder and the steady chug of a pair of tugboats joined its sonorous call. Black smoke curled from the top of the ship, polluting the air and staining the once clear skies with a murky dark cloud. Below the ship, surrounding its body, was the spill of some kind of fuel.
At the sight of the ship and leaking fuel, the villagers instantly set into action. Men jumped into boats, some rowing their tiny fishing boats and others switching on the steam-powered motors. Others, still stuck on the harbour, simply gasped and gaped at the sight of one of their country's warships - reduced to nothing but a broken twist of metal, smoke and fuel. Desperate, panicked, the men on board were no better, spilling from the mangled ship like bugs falling from a hole in a wall.
War. War was never pretty and war often led to things like these. No matter the time, no matter the place, no matter the cause, wars always caused incidents like these. After surviving a war, one which stole and ripped apart her country, Elizabeth would know best. As a young child, she had seen this scene many times, witnessed the destruction of human greed upon its own societies and people. Only, not everyone saw it in such a way.
"Come on, Elizabeth, let's get a better look," Tugging on her arm, Zeldris urged for Elizabeth to step closer to the tightly packed crowds.
"No, I've seen all I can take," Shaking her head, tears pooling in her eyes, Elizabeth tried not to break out into a full sob as she felt her chest tighten and contract. So many lives... So much destruction... When would the world ever learn that war was not the answer? When would people see that war would never be the answer? Turning with a shaky breath, Elizabeth adjusted her heavy basket, "Let's go home."
Just as she was about to step away, Elizabeth caught sight of a familiar figure. Finely dressed, their suit made of a dark material, the figure could pass as a normal person if you only saw their clothes. However, beneath the material, there was the unmistakable texture of something like goo - the man made of glossy black goo that Elizabeth could only associate with one person: the Witch of the Waste. The person who had cursed her.
"The witch's henchmen are here!" Pressing flat against the wall behind her, pulling her hat over her face, Elizabeth's voice was a low hiss as she addressed Zeldris.
"What?" Peering in the direction she had just turned from, the man frowned as he scanned the crowd.
"Quiet! They're only a few feet away," Heart now thumping at a million miles per minutes, Elizabeth could feel the panic and fear settling into her system. Shallow breaths, cold sweat, were forming in her lungs and on her brow. Spinning thoughts and shaky actions were taking over her brain and numbing her muscles.
For a long time - for too long in Elizabeth's mind - both she and Zeldris remained as still as statues. Flattened against the wall, attempting to blend with the rest of the crowd, they hoped that they would not be seen by the strange blobby man. Hopefully his gaze would just pass over them. And, thankfully, luck seemed to be on their side as Zeldris soon loosened up, something like a smile spreading on his usually somber face.
"He's gone," Stepping out more into the open, double-checking his surroundings, Zeldris nodded toward Elizabeth, "We're safe."
"I don't understand why no-one else seemed to notice him," Joining Zeldris more out in the open, feeling like she could finally breath a bit more easily, Elizabeth released a sigh. Sweaty, her palms felt sticky as she dusted off her dress and adjusted her trusty hat. Raising a brow as she balanced the basket on her arm, she added, "Wouldn't someone notice if a strange, blobby man was stood next to them?"
Answering Elizabeth's question was a deafening splash and thud. Rocking, the earth itself seemed to shake with the sudden flash of light that flared across the sky and spilled thick smoke into the air. Bobbing violently, the boats within the water knocked into each other, sailors and fishermen alike falling into the once crystal depths of Vaizel's harbour. People on the edge of the harbour also toppled in, screaming or shouting as they resurfaced a spluttering, soaked mess.
In that moment, Elizabeth found herself locking, freezing. Only once before had she heard such a noise, felt such a powerful jostle beneath her feet. Only once before.
"It's the enemy's plane!" Pointing toward the sky, a young boy called out into the chaos. Jumping on the spot, a look of excitement brimming in his eyes, he frantically gestured to the sky up above, "Look! They're dropping something! It looks like papers."
True to the boy's words, papers were falling from the sky. Floating, delicate, they were like over-sized snowflakes as they gently glided down onto the seaside village. Only, in complete contrast, the people were panicking. Scrambling over each other, some racing to help those who had fallen into the ocean and others rushing to shelter, the entire harbour was a scattered, chaotic mess. Above it all was the booming voice of the mayor, ordering no-one to touch the 'enemy' propaganda.
None of his words fell onto Elizabeth's ears, though. None of anyone's words fell onto her ears. Frantic, panicked, her heart thumping violently against her rib cage, the young woman could only feel the pure adrenaline rushing through her veins.
Step. Step. Step. Forcefully, her feet pounded against the cobbled pavement, her body pushing and shoving other people out of her way. Heavily, the basket in her grasp slapped against her thigh - no doubt forming the beginnings of a nasty bruise - but she didn't care. At all. Instead, focused on every harsh breath, listening to every heavy step, Elizabeth could only focus on finding her way home, finding her way to safety.
Somewhere behind her, she could hear Zeldris calling out for her to wait. Somewhere behind her, there was a child crying, asking for the noise to stop. Somewhere, some place, there was someone who was calling out for help.
All of those things were ignored. Breathing heavy, muscles aching, Elizabeth could only feel her fear, see the smoke, taste the acrid sulfur and acid of a successful bombing. Potent, prominent, it was as if she were not in Vaizel but instead back in Danafor. Back where she had lost her father.
"Elizabeth!" Never before had she thrown open a door so quickly. Neither had she seen Zeldris look so concerned, the man skidding into the building right after her.
As they made their way up the cold front steps, Elizabeth now audibly struggling to breathe, Zeldris' entire mood had changed. Taking the heavy basket from her arms, helping to guide her shaking body up the steps, he was being much more gentle than he had ever been with her before. Almost as gentle and kind as he had been with that blonde woman - the one he seemed to care an awful lot for. Almost.
"Elizabeth, are you ok?" Once she was seated, placed before the crackling warmth of Hawk's fire, Zeldris asked her the hanging question, "You panicked back there."
"I just need a glass of water," Elizabeth insisted, already trying to get up from the chair.
Gently, Zeldris nudged her back into the seat and gave a stern look of disapproval. Without another word, he made his way to the pitcher and filled a glass of water up for her - cold and hopefully enough to return her to her senses. Gratefully, she accepted his offering and greedily gulped it down. Almost immediately she was refreshed, her breaths somewhat even as she closed her eyes and counted to ten.
"I just get startled easily," Attempting to reassure the man, to erase the worry on his face, Elizabeth smiled, "I... I lived through a war as a child."
"Oh..."
For a moment all was calm again. Understanding, a strange bond that hadn't been there before between them, seemed to be have been kindled and forged in that brief interaction. Settled within Zeldris' gaze, wormed into Elizabeth's heart, she felt that they now understood how the other thought. Perhaps they even respected how they were different, could coexist despite the slight distrust that still sat within Zeldris' mind.
But only for a moment.
"Elizabeth!" Rushing down the steps, his feet almost thunderous as he bolted down to the room, Meliodas looked somewhat furious as he came face-to-face with the woman. Placing both hands on her shoulder, pinning her with an intense stare that startled her, he asked, "What did you do?"
Now she was certainly in for it. Even if he didn't look completely mad - like he would kill her on the spot - Elizabeth could sense the agitation swimming beneath the surface of his green eyes. No doubt she had messed up somewhere in her cleaning spree yesterday. Getting carried away had been too easy, the satisfying process of scrubbing away dust and grime being too irresistible for the cursed goddess to ignore.
However, her job was to clean. To make every possible surface shine with cleanliness. Yesterday, Elizabeth had ensured just that - had even had time to do the washing and everything. So how could Meliodas be mad? Surely, it wasn't because of her, right?
"What do you mean?" Blinking from shock - both from the bombing and Meliodas' abrupt arrival - Elizabeth frowned with confusion, "I did everything you asked me to."
"I'm talking about upstairs," Reiterating his point, Meliodas didn't drop his stare for a moment. Perhaps it was because he knew that she would not lie to him if he did. Perhaps it was because he wanted her to understand the gravity of the situation. Honestly, Elizabeth wasn't sure which point was more correct; it could have been a mixture of both. "In the one room I told you not to touch."
"Oh, you mean that room with all the old artifacts?" Understanding what he meant now, Elizabeth's features lit up with clarity. Yes. She did remember about that room. Meliodas had said for her not to go in there, to not touch or move a single item, but she just couldn't resist the urge to clean that space. As a cleaning lady, her duty was to ensure that all of the rooms were sufficiently cleaned. "I know you told me not to go in there, but I thought that- "
"I specifically told you not to get carried away!" Pulling away from her, Meliodas definitely wasn't pleased with her answer. If anything, he seemed frustrated as he pulled at his hair and groaned.
Deciding to stay out of the matter, Zeldris simply rolled his eyes at his brother's antics. That room - the one room that no-one aside from Meliodas was allowed to enter - had always been a touchy subject within this household. Even Zeldris wouldn't dare to break that rule, especially when he was feeling extra pissy toward his insufferable sibling. But Elizabeth? Oh, she definitely made a mistake ignoring that rule.
This truly wouldn't end well.
"I-it can't be that bad," Standing up from her seat, panic taking a rise in her tremulous voice, Elizabeth frowned as she looked at Zeldris. No doubt to back her up. "Right?"
"Oh you have no idea..." Letting out a dark chuckle - because this would be as hilarious as it was painful - Zeldris grinned as he leaned against the sink's rim, "Even I can't go in there."
"Surely moving a few things around didn't do too much?" Terror was definitely settling into Elizabeth's system. Terror at the thought of being kicked out, of being told that she was no longer welcome within the new home she had kind of found for herself. Sucking in a shaky breath, holding back the tears, she defended herself, "All I did was clean."
"Wrong!" Oh yeah, he was definitely seething. Even Hawk flinched at the harsh tone to Meliodas' voice as he yelled at no-one in particular. Elizabeth even spotted Zeldris shiver. "You cleaning up there has undone about two years of work," Pacing now, he was pacing about in a frenzy as he continued to rant, "Even if everything was put back the way it was, I'd still have to go through the whole process again."
"Couldn't we- "
"You just need to let him work it off," Cutting Elizabeth off, a sympathetic look in his eyes, Zeldris sighed as he shook his head, "He's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to that room. It's... important to him in a way."
"All that work gone to waste..." Pausing in his pacing, finding his destination at the chair before Hawk, Meliodas sighed as he more or less deflated into a sack of flesh and bone. Shaking his head, burying it within his hands, he mumbled quietly, "There's no point int trying to do it all again..."
Cold. Chilling Elizabeth's skin, she could feel the temperature of the room dropping by the second. But there was no wind. Outside was sunny, bright, still blessed with the wonderful weather of Vaizel. Even without confirmation, Elizabeth could tell that something strange was happening, something that made her gut curl and her intestine squirm as she watched the distressed wizard. From his corner, Zeldris seemed to share a similar amount of concern, his lips pressed into a thin line as a strange veil of darkness appeared to blanket the entire room.
"Meliodas, cut it out," Hawk was now making noise, dark pupils blown wide with panic as he hugged his log pile close. Instantly, they started to catch alight, turning into shimmering ash, "Meliodas, no, stop it!"
Noises were filling the room now. Odd moans and groans that sounded ghostly and deathlike within Elizabeth's ears. Joining the noises was the appearance of a dark liquid that began to bridge over Meliodas' skin. Pooling around him, dripping onto the fireplace and toward Hawk, was the same dark substance. Only it wasn't as thin and looked more like a flowing syrup, thick and viscous as it spread towards Hawk.
"He's calling on the spirits of darkness," Zeldris huffed, rolling his eyes as he surveyed the morphing shadows that were now on the walls. Tsking, he glanced at the worried Elizabeth as he stepped closer toward the glowing fireplace - the only source of light in the room, "I saw him do this once when a girl dumped him. No doubt he's pissed because you messed up whatever deal he was making with them. Now he's gotta pay a bigger price to them."
"What price?" Breathless, definitely worried now, Elizabeth couldn't hide the fast-paced racing to her heart.
"Most likely a chunk of his life," Zeldris shrugged, a nonchalant expression on his face, "Maybe losing control of it completely. Although the bastard will probably find a way out of it. He always does."
More groans filled the air, something rattling and creaking within the castle. Flinching at the sound, Elizabeth could definitely feel her concern spiking with every passing second. Hawk, bless his soul, was nearly entirely drowned within the pool of ooze that had gathered at his fireplace.
"Now Meliodas," Gentle, soft, Elizabeth tried to sound as comforting and remorseful as possible as she spoke to him, "I'm sure that- "
Somehow, Elizabeth's voice made the entire deal even worse. Violently rocking the foundations, the voices howling instead of soft groans and moans, Meliodas was clearly calling the dark spirits with even more vigour than he had been before. Well, if the increase in the darkness spreading around the room was to be of any indication. More darkness meant more spirit calling. More spirit calling meant more life-endangerment.
And that was something Elizabeth simply couldn't condone.
"You're mad because you have no control over your life?" Elizabeth suddenly shouted out, her blue eyes wide as she reddened. Her eyes burned, her face felt warm. "Well, I've never once been in control in my entire life! At least you have the power to give yours away!"
Immediately, all eyes turned to the goddess and she gasped, running out of the castle. She flurried down the steps faster than she ever had, her legs somehow not stumbling, as she yanked at the doorknob and burst out the door and into the pouring rain of the Waste.
It wasn't like her to be so angry. It wasn't like her to have such a selfish outburst. She was used to being seen and not heard, spoken to but not about. She had never gotten to be angry for herself. But just now she was...
Elizabeth stopped by the clear waters of Star Lake, her eyes aching as her jaw twitched. She did not wish to cry. She did not want to feel upset over what she already knew. But Elizabeth couldn't help it. She couldn't help but feel upset at the blatant truth she held within her life; she couldn't help but realise that all her life, through her entire existence, she had never been truly been under control nor appreciated. Not in her childhood, not in the hat shop and certainly not now.
Not ever.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Elizabeth burst into tears. Her eyes glossed over with crystalline drops, the salty liquid pouring down her cheeks as she stood in the thunderous rain. Great tears melded with the pelting drops, the goddess not caring as it soaked through her one and only dress. Her silver hair weighed down on her head, heavy and sodden like silver velvet, and clung to her face and neck. Everything clung to her, suffocated her, and yet she felt freer - more open.
Elizabeth could feel her wings growing, could imagine the long-lost joints moving to carry her up and far away. The wind would blow through her hair, the clouds would kiss her skin and the sky would intertwine with her soul. She would glide and swoop, soar and dip, performing a delicate dance that only her heart and the swirls in the air itself would know; she would laugh and smile, beam and rejoice, as she could finally break free once more.
But then she would remember. Elizabeth would remember that she had lost her wings; Elizabeth would remember the impossible wizard she had to deal with; Elizabeth would remember that she had left her old life behind. Once all of that was remembered, the lack of wings seemed little in comparison to her other struggles. Once all of that was remembered, Elizabeth would feel lighter - more carefree - and she could feel herself actually smiling.
The familiar sounds of a bouncing pole filled Elizabeth's ears. It wasn't long before it stopped, an unseen force blocking the rain from pelting onto her face.
"Hey, Turnip Head," Elizabeth smiled up at the scarecrow, admiring his top hat. It was top craftsmanship, after all.
The scarecrow hopped in acknowledgement, seeming to respond to Elizabeth's greeting. The goddess giggled at his notion, nodding. It seemed that Turnip Head truly did worry about her - at least he cared enough to check up on a worthless screw up like her.
"I just needed a good cry, Turnip," Elizabeth released a gentle sigh, leaning against the wooden pole of the object. Content for now, she still wore her smile, her blue eyes staring directly at the scarecrow's button ones, "I'm used to it, so don't worry about me."
The scarecrow seemed to raise a brow in response to that, his pipe moving within his fixed mouth just a smidgen. Elizabeth knew he was worried and dismayed because he had seen her upset. It seemed that ever since she had tipped Turnip right way up, he forever wanted to help her. Whether it be guiding her to Meliodas' castle, or making sure she was out of the rain, Turnip Head was always trying to make sure Elizabeth was fine. And the goddess couldn't help but feel indebted to him because of that.
"Turnip Head..." Before Elizabeth could respond, a certain brother called out to her.
"Elizabeth!" Zeldris ran out, a panicked look taking over his features. He appeared to be quite mad, his youthful features puffed as he searched through the rain in only his shirt and pants. However he soon smiled in relief upon spotting her, calling toward the goddess and scarecrow, "Hawk's in trouble!"
Following the panicked brother inside, Elizabeth sucked in another deep breath and prepared herself for the ordeal that would follow. This time she would not crumble and become an emotional fool. This time she would not mirror Meliodas and throw a little tantrum over the frustrations of her life. Not this time.
"Elizabeth!" As soon as the goddess stepped inside, Hawk called out to her, the poor flame struggling to escape the oozing darkness of his master, "Elizabeth, he's crazy!" Turning to Meliodas, throwing the remnants of his log pile at the man, Hawk yelled, "Meliodas! Meliodas you have to snap out of it, buddy! If I die, you die too!"
After her crying session, Elizabeth could now see the humour within this situation. Hawk, squawking and struggling to rouse Meliodas. Zeldris, pouting and frowning and throwing sarcastic lines into the mix, was doing anything other than actually helping. And Meliodas? He was the most laughable of them all, still bent over in the chair, his head in his hands and more and more darkness oozing from his skin.
"He's just being a big baby," Elizabeth laughed a little, definitely feeling fresher after her little cry. Her eyes were still red, but she ignored them and instead began to hoist Meliodas up, throwing his arm over her shoulder. He doesn't seem so scary anymore. Not like this. "Zeldris help me. Run him a bath."
"On it!" Swift, the man ran past, his tiny form darting.
"Come on, Meliodas," Elizabeth cooed, hiding the sheer amount of struggle it was to get him up the stairs. Somehow, he was a lot heavier than he looked. That or Elizabeth severely lacked the muscle strength she thought she used to have. "Let's get you cleared up and you'll feel a lot better."
Gradually, slowly, they made their way up the stairs at an almost tortoise pace. Grunting with the effort, Elizabeth steeled herself to do the job effectively, ignoring the burning of her muscles and the ache of her joints. They made it about halfway before Elizabeth noticed that Meliodas pants had fallen apart, destroyed by his darkness. That meant he was bare - naked - nothing covering up his lower half. And she was right next to him!
Her cheeks flaming and eyes wide, the goddess turned away and stared straight ahead. She focused on the ceilings and wall of the staircase - noting how she'd done a very good job at getting them clean again - before gradually ambling her way up the stairs and depositing the blonde with his brother.
It was only when she came back that Elizabeth noticed the dark trail left behind. It was thick and oozing, like slime, but Elizabeth knew better. She knew that it was the raw darkness that emanated from Meliodas' power. Such tales of people who used that power used to be told to her back in Danafor. They were not human - did not share the same bloodlines and species as humans - although they were known as powerful magicians.
Releasing a sigh, the goddess brushed the thoughts from her brain and placed her hands on her hips. She had a lot of work to do. Such theories and speculations could wait.
Poking at the darkness with her shoe, Elizabeth frowned, "Looks like I have to mop again..."