Chapter six : The Poem of Beginnings
Ban laughed at the Holy Knights attempt to kill him. "You're that reluctant to see me go ?"
"You don't seem to have learned a single lesson in your five years here, the Seven Deadly Sins' Fox Sin." He put pressure on the metal bar that was still in Ban's torso. "No matter how strong you may be, you are powerless before Jude." Ban spat out even more blood, staining the Holy Knight's armor.
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".
Diane and Meliodas were still fighting, under the illusion of whom you assumed to be a Holy Knight.
"You're tough for such a puny Holy Knight !" Diane yelled.
"You're pretty fast for such a huge Holy Knight!" Meliodas jumped up and hit Diane's vambrace, making her stumble back.
"They both think the other is a Holy Knight ?"
"No ! Stop it, you two ! That's enough !" Your attempt turned out to be successful because they both turned to you, back to normal.
"Princess ? What's are you doing ?"
"You took the words right out of our mouths !" Hawk scolded the giant.
"Captain, you're here too ? Where'd the Holy Knight go ?"
"Hey, you're right." He looked around to find any trace of the knight, but didn't see anything other than trees. The young boy you had by your side ran to Diane.
"Big lady ! Are you okay ?"
"Hi kid ! You're still here ?" He nodded happily and the same noise that had bothered you earlier rang again, you tried to find where it came from, but didn't see anything.
"Meliodas, no ! ___, I'll try to see how I can snap them out of it, you take the kid and go !" You got the child to step back and follow you, but he went crying in his father's chest.
"Don't cry ! It's going to be okay, I'll protect you, even if it meant trading my life for yours !"
"You will ?" The father asked, caught off guard by what you had said.
"Of course !"
"It's so touching to see a Princess care for her people !" This time, the voice was clearly one of a woman, and when you turned in its direction, you saw another Holy Knight, whose armor looked like a beetle. "But just... how truthful were you when you said that ?" She raised her whip in the air, and hundreds of insects flew out of the trees surrounding you. One landed on Hawk's nose and pinched it so hard he started crying and running around. "Storm Rondo... now, my sweet little scarabs, rend their flesh with your sharp horns and wings !"
"I'm scared !" The little boy got out of his father's embrace and started running, trying to find a way to escape.
"This kid's whining is getting on my nerve. Start with him !" The insects listened to her and surrounded the boy. They started tearing at his skin and he cried out so loud it almost made you shake. "Let me think..." I'll protect you even if it meant trading my life for yours" huh ? For all the brave platitudes, you don't expect to actually save anyone, do you ?"
"That's sick..." You shook your head, not listening to her and walked towards the dark cloud of bugs. "___ ?"
"What ? Really ?" The Holy Knight was as surprised as the boy's dad when he heard you promise to help them.
You took a deep breath and walked straight into the beetles' nest, allowing them to bite and scratch at you. "I gave my word. Even if you should die..." One insect scratched millimeters away from your eyes, making you tilt your head, only to get scratched even more. "Even if I'm left all alone... I would protect the kingdom and its people from the Holy Knights." You finally reached the crying child, and kneeled down to embrace him.
"Lady !" He cried harder in your blouse. The Holy Knight slammed her whip on the grass, freeing you and the boy from the insect prison.
"Are you okay ?" Hawk yelled from behind you.
"Yes." You looked up at the boy, who was now standing straight up with no emotion in his eyes. "So, you would risk yourself to save even a boy like this ? A commendable motion." He moved his staff around and that's when you realized where the noise came from. He was the one that had Meliodas and Diane in that illusion. Which could only mean one thing. "However..." The boy turned into what you dreaded, a tall Holy Knight with a blue armor. "Reality is often disappointing !"
"The boy turned into a Holy Knight? We were seeing an illusion ?" Hawk wondered, rubbing his eyes with one of his ears.
"No... you're responsible for them acting so strangely ?" You decided to play innocent, he most likely didn't know you realized the importance of the bell, so you could use that to your advantage. You had to find a way to get it back.
"Even the Seven Deadly Sins are weaklings to me." You crawled closer to him and tugged at his skirt.
"Turn them both back to normal !" He grabbed a handful of your hair and pulled you up so your face could be in front of his. When he deemed you high enough, he kneeled you in the stomach, throwing you back on the ground. You couldn't give up, you had to get that bell, no matter what. You saw a glimpse of your pink friend trying to charge at the knight, but he hit him with his staff, drawing blood out of his nose.
"As we speak, the two Sins are fighting, and will most likely l kill each other soon."
You stood back up and yelled as loud as you could. "Turn them both back to normal, now !" He seemed shocked at your outburst, but ended up hitting you across the face with his staff. Perfect. You bit into the thread that was holding the bell to the staff and fell to the ground about ten meters away.
"___ !" You heard Hawk cry, and your heart almost stopped at the sound of his sobs.
"Wait a minute, Ruin ! Isn't killing the Princess a bad idea ?" The insect woman from earlier shakily asked him.
"Fear not. I know that. Princess ___, out of respect for your bravery, I will tell you something. The source of the hypnotic suggestion I placed your friends under. It is my staff's-" His eyes left your bloody body and instead set on his staff. "It's gone !" You finally opened your mouth and spat out the bell. "You little bitch ! You were after that this whole time." You wanted to answer to him, to stand back up and fight, but you were too tired. He charged towards you and raised his fist to punch you. You were bound to take the hit now. But it's okay, you kept telling yourself, now that the hypnosis had been broken, Ellie would come back with Diane and Meliodas. They'd help you. "Now you've made me angry !" You readied yourself for the impact, but it never came, and a small smile etched itself on your face when you heard your friend's voice. And so, knowing you were in good hands, you let yourself fall into unconsciousness.
"No. No you've gone and made me angry." Meliodas' hand held Ruin's arm so tightly it left an indent on his armor.
"The spell's been broken ?" He jumped back, fearing Meliodas would immediately attack him, but sighed when he saw the blond kneeled next to you.
Meliodas' palm stroked your cheek, avoiding the cuts, and his other hand held yours tightly, as he whispered to you. "___... you've made it perfectly clear just how far you're prepared to go."
"He's ignoring me ?" Meliodas' head dropped at the impatient Holy Knight. "He who strikes first wins !" The blond let himself get hit and thrown back onto the green field. The Holy Knight slammed his staff on his head, forcing him into the ground, before grabbing him by the face and lifting him up to get a better look at him. "Pathetic. The kingdom had been paranoid over a little welp like this ?" Meliodas opened his eyes and punched Ruin, sending him crashing into Baste Prison. Just as the Holy Knight raised his head back up, Meliodas landed in front of him and punched him.
"I'm so sorry, ___... if only I was stronger..." You heard Hawk cry out, you opened your eyes and noticed him and Elizabeth looking at you with tears in their eyes.
"She's hurt pretty badly. We've got to get her back to town." Diane said after dropping the Holy Knight to the ground.
"No... please. Take me with you... to Sir Ban and Sir Meliodas." Your voice came out hoarse and quiet. Elizabeth started running her fingers through your hair to get you to relax.
"What are you saying ? Not in this state we're not !"
"Ellie, I made a promise... that I would keep fighting to protect the kingdom and its people." You looked up to them in hopes they'd let you come with them.
"I'm sorry, but that's not going to happen." Diane leaned down to speak softly to you. "We're heading into Baste Prison, where the enemy is waiting for our arrival. You won't be able to do anything, not in this state."
"I suppose not. I admit that I don't have any real power. I can't trade blows like you guys or handle myself in a fight. Still, I made up my mind to follow Sir Meliodas and the rest of you. All so I could keep my promise."
"You're not going to cry, are you ?"
"No." Even though it hurt you, you laughed and smiled at her. You watched as she took off her backpack and opened it.
"I'll put you in there. It'll get bumpy though. So it might worsen your injuries. You still sure ?"
"Lady Diane... I'm sure." Elizabeth let Diane carry you onto her bag, and out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted the "boy's father".
"Hey ! You !" She grabbed him by the collar. "You're a soldier from Baste, aren't you ?"
"No ! I was being coerced by that Holy Knight !"
"Don't bullshit me. You know where they're holding the Sin and the doctor's daughter, don't you ?" She spat at him, threatening to hit him against a tree.
"Wait ! If I tell you that, you have no idea what they'll do to me-" Diane set her feet down behind him and showed him Friesia bruised body.
"Would you rather have this done to you by the Holy Knights, or by us ?" She happily smiled.
"You're sure she in this tower ?"
"I'm sure, Captain. He didn't seem like the kind of man who could lie to my face." The Serpent Sin reassured him.
"He didn't ?" He looked down at you. "Thanks, ___." The four walked inside the prison, finding the lack of guard strange.
"That's weird, this place is totally deserted." Diane had to lean down on the wall to fit inside the corridor at first, but then had to kneel on the ground to get around.
"Yeah, I guess knocking out that Holy Knight gave them a good scare."
"Bunch of wimps." Hawk chuckled.
"Oh, there she is." Meliodas called Diane, Elizabeth and Hawk.
"This is the doctor's daughter, no doubt about it."
"Let's get her out. Diane, you got room in your backpack for one more ?" The giant put her hand out to take down the metal bars, waking up the young woman in the process. She screamed, convinced that someone was here to kill her, but ended up fainting from the scare. Diane set her down next to you and zipped up the backpack.
"You sure she's okay ?" Elizabeth worriedly asked.
"Yeah she's only passed out." Footsteps could suddenly be heard, breaking the silence.
"Ban ?" The tall man stopped.
"Captain ?" They both glared at each other, and an oppressing silence took over.
"Why am I getting nasty vibes when they've just been reunited ?" Hawk whispered to your sister, who also seemed uncomfortable. "I've got a bad feeling about this..."
"Yeah, you're right to. Here, hide behind me. "
"Ban !" Meliodas raised his arms, happily calling out to his old friend. The suddenness of it made Elizabeth jump and get the hiccups.
"Captain !" Ban imitated his friend before they both ran to each other and high-fived multiple times. "Captain !" Ban charged and punched Meliodas through five walls of the prison. "My turn ! My turn !" The blond quickly stood back up and headbutted his friend in the stomach, also sending him through a few walls.
"Just roll with it, Elizabeth."
"What the hell, man ?" They stood up from the ruins they'd sent each other in. "I thought you'd have gone soft..."
"But you're as spry as ever !" They put their hands together and settled down on the floor of an arm wrestling match.
"Ready !"
"Go !" The strength they put into their arms was so strong it made the ground and the walls around them shake and crumble.
"What's going on ?!" Hawk shook like a leaf on Diane's knee, bewildered by her lack of a reaction.
"These two have always been like this."
"Like what ?!"
"Seriously, Elizabeth, aren't men so immature..." The giant looked at Elizabeth who nodded in response, and held tighter onto Diane's clothes, so she wouldn't fall.
"Out of 720 matches against you, I recall I've won 361 !" Meliodas laughed and shook his head, not loosing focus on the match.
"Prison must've messed with your mind ! I've won 361 !" They both put more force into their clash, this time completely destroying the ground they were on and falling down.
"Oh... the Captain's so cute when he's all worked up !" Diane daydreamed while holding onto the Princess and the pig. Seconds later, the entire building crumpled down to ruins. After their fight, which had been a tie because they had to get out of here quickly, they headed toward Dalmally, to bring Sennett back home.
"Oh, Sennett ! Thank the heavens you're safe !" The doctor, had apparently came back to life, and was now hugging his daughter in his arms.
"And you, Father ! I assumed the utmost worst !" They were both crying when Meliodas and Hawk knocked on the door. They both stopped when they saw the man alive and well and Hawk felt shivers run down his spine. "H-he came back from the dead ?!" Understanding the confusion, the doctor unbuttoned his shirt and showed the two the scar that was on his chest, exactly where Golgius had stabbed him. "It's just like what happened with Meliodas' wound !"
"Is it ? I'm ashamed to say I have no idea why I am alive, even though I'm a doctor."
"You're alive. I say take the win. Well, we should get going. There's not telling if more Holy Knights will come to town when they hear the news." He waved at the doctor, his daughter and who he assumed to be his wife, and turned around, heading out.
"Meliodas !" He turned back around to look at the doctor. "Will you let me do something to thank you ? Even if it's just a simple supper."
"Huh. Maybe I'll take you up on that."
"Just leave the poison out this ti-" Meliodas gently punched Hawk to stop him from finishing his sentence.
You were laying in Meliodas' bed, with Elizabeth sitting by your side. She insisted she stayed with you until you woke up so you wouldn't be alone.
"How's ___ doing ?" Meliodas asked from Diane's shoulder.
"She seems to be resting comfortably."
"That's good." He smiled when Elizabeth started stroking your hair softly.
"Why is she sleeping in your room, Meliodas ?" Hawk warily questioned. "Their room is on the third floor."
"About that... Ban took their bed and said he claimed their room as his own. Elizabeth said that wasn't going to stop her from sleeping there, though." They jumped down from the giant's shoulder and landed on the green grass.
"So what's ___ supposed to do ?"
"She can just sleep with me."
Hawk agreed and started walking back inside the tavern. "Yeah, there isn't much choice after all these are the onl- Like hell she will !"
Back in the captain's room, you began to wake up. "Sennett..." You took notice of Elizabeth and Diane. "Where's Sir Ban ?"
"We found both of them and came back to town." You flipped yourself on your side to face the two girls. "Everyone else is okay, too."
"Oh. Thank goodness..." All the pressure you'd put on yourself came down, and you could finally breathe properly.
"Now you're crying." Elizabeth grabbed the handkerchief on the bedside table and wiped your tears.
"I guess I am."
Once everyone was ready, Meliodas carried you inside the doctor's home so you could enjoy a meal with them. He set you down on a bed they had provided for you and made sure to tuck you in correctly, so you wouldn't be cold.
"Okay, ___, Elizabeth. Let me officially introduce you. This is Ban, the Fox Sin of Greed."
"Nice to meet you." The scary man with blue hair greeted you. He was sitting crossed legs on a barrel and wore red matching tops and bottoms.
"Uh... where'd you get that outfit ?" Meliodas tilted his head at his friend.
"I can't parade around naked in front of royalty, can I ?"
"You mean the six us, buddy." Hawk's high-pitched voice said. Ban smiled at his captain, patting him on the shoulder.
"Are out of it, Captain ? We're five !"
"There's six of us ! Are you sure that one doesn't have a screw loose ?"
"Who said that ?"
"I did." Your pink friend stated looking straight at the Sin. Whose body flew back from the shock.
"That pig is talking !"
"You're freaking out over it now ?!"
"No way ! A pig that can talk like a human ?! That's craz- Ey, I've got it ! You're King, aren't you ?" He looked at him with narrowed eyes. "That must be it ! You were cursed and finally turned into an actual pig !"
"Guess again." Diane deadpanned.
"King is dead. According to rumor, at least." Hawk approached Ban and called him out. "I'm warning you. I'm no ordinary pig. I'm the captain of the Order of Scarps Disposal, Sir Hawk !" He tried to give him a thumbs up, but couldn't because of his hooves.
"Oh, wow ! I've never heard of that order before !" Ban genuinely seemed impressed by Hawk's self introduction, it made you and Elizabeth laugh.
"Have you finished the introductions ? Come eat before your dinner gets cold !" The boys and Hawk ran to the dinner table while Sennett brought a large plate with one very large skewer and two smaller portions.
"I'm so sorry to make you stand and eat all by yourself." She apologized to the giant girl who had to lean on the roof and couldn't seat like everyone else, but she shook her head and happily brushed it off.
"No, I'm happy to be able to have dinner with everyone." Elizabeth helped you eat even though you told her you could do it yourself. When Meliodas noticed you had finished your plate, he put some fruits on a small plate and walked up to you. You assured him he didn't have to, but he insisted, and so you thanked him. Elizabeth asked if some of the content of the plate were for her, but Meliodas looked at her with a straight face and responded with a simple no. He brought a stool closer to the bed, sat down and started by feeding you the grapes, making you blush profusely. While Ban climbed on Hawk's back for a ride, Diane insisted Meliodas should feed her an apple, but instead of the apple, she ended up biting into her captain, bringing him halfway into her mouth.
"C'mon, don't hold out on me, Captain Hawk..." The pig was struggling to walk with the weight of the drunk, tall man on his back. "Teach me, master !"
"Please, do something about this guy !" You laughed at them and at how Meliodas didn't do anything but stare with his beer in his hand.
"I wish this could go on forever." Elizabeth cut you off your daydream. "But I guess that's not in the cards."
"Say, princesses..." You both looked up at Diane who was looking straight ahead of her. "I don't know much about humans, or the custody of their lands. And honestly, I'm not interested. But..."
"But ?" You pushed her to continue.
"I'm okay with fighting for you. Because you two were pretty badass today."
You sat up, ignoring the slight sting in your arms and face. "Me too ? I didn't do anything though..."
"You have a power, you know. The power to move my and the Captain's hearts."
"Diane..."
"Say, girls ?" You both hummed to let her know she could go on. "Would it be okay if I just called you Elizabeth and ___ ?"
"Of course !"
"Yeah !"
"Then don't worry about being formal with me, either." Elizabeth's eyes widened, and she started shaking her hands around.
"No ! We couldn't possibly..."
"It's fine !" Your sister sat back down and you had no choice but to accept your friend's request.
"Alright."
Abruptly, Elizabeth jumped out of her seat and looked at the sky. Not even a second later, shooting stars could be seen across the night sky.
"Father ! Look at the sky !" He looked up and gasped on surprise.
"That's... it's just like that passage in one of Britannia's old poems." Next to you, you could hear your sister whisper to herself what sounded like said poem with a distant look in her eyes.
"When shooting starts streak across the same sky in the form of a cross, Britannia will face her darkest hour. This is a trial, preordained since ancient times. And it will herald the beginning of a holy war between the hand of light and the blood of darkness."
5 km away, Necropolis.
The village seemed like it had been vacant for a few years if not decades. One of the houses had yellow tiles as roofing, but a few were missing, allowing the light to deep inside the house. "Meliodas, as well as Diane and now Ban have gotten together." Gilthunder announced to the floating boy.
"I wonder why they've taken action now, after so long has passed." The boy leaned more in his green pillow and hummed.
"Don't betray the trust I have place in you... King.
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