Come With Me - Meliodas x Reader

Chapter 45 - Legendary Figures

The people gathered at the centre of the maze turned to watch as you and your group exited through the unofficial path. Their combined magical power was amazing, almost overwhelming. Some of it was familiar and some of it not. However, in among the reassuringly familiar was also the unnerving. And, strangely enough, the unnerving-ness wasn't just coming from Drole and Gloxinia.

Hendrickson ran up to you and Meliodas, Baby Griamore on his back. 'Sir Meliodas. [Y/n].'

'Yo,' said Meliodas, giving a mock salute. 'Sorry to keep you waiting.'

'Hey, Hendy. Hey, Griamore.' You smiled but your eyes kept scanning the crowd. Where was it coming from? Of course, you could just be imagining it. The name Zhivago was still bouncing around your head trying to find some memory to grab on to. But then why did your gaze keep coming back to two people in particular? A man with a bowl-cut and a child with a lute. You had never seen them before.

Meliodas kept tracing the patterns on your arms. Perhaps he was still trying to soothe you. But it wasn't working. It just made your head spin more and you didn't know why. You could've sworn he kept drawing the same shapes over and over. And you could've sworn you knew them.

'Elaine!' Ban's shout distracted you. After all, you couldn't wait to meet the girl you had heard so much about.

But Elaine was just as distracted as you had been. She was the one beside King, you were sure, floating in the air just like her brother. And both their attentions were fixed on the figures standing on the rock above.

Well, who could blame them? It was hard to concentrate with the cold eyes locked onto you. Not to mention their dark, pulsing power that pressed in on your ears.

Howzer let out a strangled gasp.

'Wait,' said Gilthunder, 'is that—?'

Meliodas frowned. 'This is your only chance to back out. They're with the Ten Commandments.'

'Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,' said Gloxinia. Even though he didn't shout, his voice travelled easily down to where you stood. It sounded the same as it had done three thousand years ago, but it lacked the warmth you remembered. 'Welcome to this Ultimate Time Killer – no, I mean the Great Fighting Festival. But, before we get things underway, we'll need to prepare the arena. All right, Drole, are you ready?'

Drole's hands moved with the force and precision you remembered. 'Gigant Gauntlet.'

With one last gesture, the earth trembled. Towers of rocks grew and kept growing. They formed two giant hands, fingers reaching to cup the moon. Meliodas didn't move, didn't stop glaring. Your head kept spinning. You had to solve one of the problems before the fighting began or you knew you wouldn't be of any use to anyone.

'Fantastic.' Gloxinia beamed, the vines around him clapping like hands. 'This is where each one of you will be doing battle. Since it's time to get started, I'll be cutting off the others now. I just need to wipe out those little worms that're still lurking around in the maze.' His voice grew ever more deadly.

The vines writhed, whipping around Gloxinia's body like a mass of snakes. You could see Gloxinia silhouetted at the centre of the whirling vegetation, a small body that radiated power. King was freaking out somewhere nearby – you could hear him vaguely ¬ but your mind was spinning just as much as the vines.

All of a sudden, the vines stopped. Gloxinia's cold smirk was visible even without your enhanced vision.

'Spirit Spear Basquias Ninth Configuration.' As Gloxinia spoke, the vines transformed. They became thinner and covered all over with wicked looking spikes. 'Death Thorn.'