Chapter 8 : The Fearsome Pursuer

"Well, well. It would seem that the Necropolis isn't a legend." A cold voice startled the children. They turned around to see a woman in a white and pink armor, who was carrying with her, the largest weapon they had ever seen. A long fencing sword.
"Um, who's this ?" Ellen asked her brother.
He took a step back and put his arm out to shield his sister from harm. "Hold on, are you a Holy Knight?!" She abruptly grabbed them both by the throat and lifted them up to eye level.
"Stop-" The girl tried to get out of the knight's grasp.
"If it's not too much trouble, would you mind showing me the way to the Necropolis ?"
"Like we would ever tell you !" The boy kicked his legs around to pull the woman away.
"Brother... can't breathe..." Ellen struggled against the Holy Knight's grasp.
The woman smiled scarily and turned to the girl's brother. "Be a good boy and help me."
""Precious memories shared with the dead will guide you to the capital."" He muttered almost out of breath.
"I don't quite follow you."
"How would we know about the land where the dead go ?" Calm took over the Knight's face and she dropped both kids to the ground.
"The dead ? I see. Thank you." She raised her arm up and as fast as light, dug it into her heart.

This is a tale of ancient times... an era before the human and non-human 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 become mortal enemies to all Holy Knights. They were known throughout the land...as "The Seven Deadly Sins".

"Ban !"
"King !"
"Sir Ban !"
"King !"

"Jeez, where'd these two run off to ?" Diane complained angrily.
Meliodas suddenly stopped walking, making you bump into his back. "Sir Meliodas ?"
"We're not alone." He raised his head to look around.
"Well, I don't see anyone here but us..." You said.
"There's not even a single ghost here, either !" Hawk agreed.
Elizabeth looked at him and whispered. "Actually, I'd be kind of terrified if there were."
The three of you looked at each other and shuddered. "There's not point in hanging around here. L-Lets look for these two !"
"G-Good idea, Hawk !" You continued walking with your hands on Meliodas' shoulders.

"There's no sign of them..." Diane worriedly said after at least twenty minutes of looking for your friends.
"Maybe they've gone back to the real world ?" Elizabeth questioned. "Huh ? Who's that ?" She pointed to the woman in the white and gold armor.
"How do you do, Meliodas the Dragon Sin ? Diane the Serpent Sin ? My name is Holy Knight Guila." She introduced herself.
"How's you get here ?" Hawk asked her.
"By dying."
"Uh, did she just say she came here by dying ?" He turned to your group for validation in case he had hear it wrong.
"She sure did."
"Then, that means this lady is bad news, right ?" Elizabeth asked Meliodas.

"Yep. Real bad news."
She raised her sword in the air, sending a strong gush of wind your way. Hawk immediately went flying, but you and Elizabeth were able to resist for a few seconds before the wind got stronger and blew you a few meter away.
"Hawk, take ___ and Elizabeth and get as far away from here as possible." He instructed not taking his eyes off the knight.
"Meliodas ! I'm not leaving you alone to do this." Elizabeth opposed to it, even though she didn't have a weapons, with you not around, she could use a bit of her power and get rid of the woman.
"Hawk."
"Yes ! Hop on, girls !" You both hesitantly got on Hawk's back and let him take you away from the scene. "Now, watch this pig fly !"
"Please stay safe, you two !" Hawk ran and jumped between the tall crystals, making sure to not drop you in the meantime.
"That Holy Knight named Guila is really dangerous ! That's what my wild instincts are telling me !"
"No, I felt it, too." You looked back in the direction you had left your friends in worry.
"You did ?" He stopped in front of a tall flat crystal and looked up to you. "We should be far enough now, no ?"
"I think we might've gone too far, actually." A loud crash rang from over your head and when the dust cleared up, you could make out a mop of blond hair in the green stone.
"Ouch..."
"Sir Meliodas !" You called out. He looked down at you and yelled at Hawk.
"What are you doing here ?! Go !" Elizabeth and you climbed back on top of your friend and he ran away once more, this time not stopping for a few hundred meters. Hawk suddenly skidded, which made you and your sister tumble to the ground with a yelp.
"This is it, I'm done... I can't go any further..." The pig sweated.
"Two girls, and a pig ?" King confusedly said before turning back to the person he was speaking with. "Elaine !"

You sat up and looked at him. "Um... you're Sir King, right ?"
"Who are you ?"
"I'm Elizabeth and and this is my younger sister ___. It's a long story, but we're traveling with Meliodas and the others." She quickly explained.
"And I'm the Captain of Scraps-"
"With the Captain ?" The Sin cut off Hawk's introduction.
"Yes ! Holy Knight had appeared and he's fighting Sir Meliodas and Diane !" You looked around to see if you could see any trace of the Fox Sin. "Is Sir Ban with you ? I'm sure she'll be after him as well ! Ellie, we have to warn him !"
"Let me guess," He dropped his head down. "You want me to save them." But you weren't listening to him, instead you were tightly gripping the spear that was stuck into the ground, and tried to take it out.
"Run far away ! I'll borrow this spear !"
"Can you fight ?" He asked with a hint of worry in his voice.
"I'm always being rescued by everyone !They're always fighting while I sit back and watch, I don't want it to be this way anymore ! I want to be useful to them !"

"___..." Your sister muttered before wiping her hands on her top. "Oh, what the hell..." She also took the handle of the spear in her hands and helped you pull.
Hawk joined too, with tears in eyes, he bit onto the spear and pulled. "C'mon ! Let's wipe the grin off of that chick's face !"
"Yeah, Hawk !"
"We're coming, Sir Meliodas ! Diane ! Sir Ban !" You gritted out while putting more force in your arms. Suddenly, the spear was out of the ground, and high in the air, however, Hawk was floating and Elizabeth and you were almost off the ground. "Oh... Sir King ?"
Without one word, he slowly let the spear down to let you safely get on the ground and flew away in the direction where the explosions rang. You smiled, happy that he was going to help your friends, Hawk hurried you on his back and started trotting towards the battle.

"This is the last seed of this forest... plant it somewhere, okay ?" Elaine asked, out of breath, while handing a small seed on a leaf to Ban.
"Do it yourself, Lady !" He said while holding her tighter.
"The forest... it knew. That you would protect it." She smiled warmly to her lover.
"Who gives a damn about the forest ! Hold on, Elaine !"
"I was really happy..." She closed her eyes, wether it was in pain, or happiness, Ban couldn't tell. "When you said, you were going to take me." She put her hand on his cheek with a lot of trouble, the Sin noticed she was shaking and had to stop the tears from filling his eyes. "Please, Ban ? Say it to me again, but properly this time."
"Of course, Elaine. One day, ill-" Her hand limply dropped back to her lap, dead. "Damn it." He whispered defeatedly, his tears falling into his lover's arms. "Let me finish, damn it..."