Turning Back The Clock

Turning Back The Clock: Chapter 39

"Look at you, pathetic, weak, and foolish. You've embarrassed me enough. Do us both a favor and go ahead and die. At least in death you will be worth something. I will consume your soul and become stronger for it. Strong enough to end this war myself as I won't let such an immense power be wasted as you have. You know you cannot win against me, unless I give your stupid mind too much credit. Truly, what do you hope to accomplish by fighting me? You've seen the power I wield, the power I gave your brothers and comrades. Which means you know that alone you have no chance. Are you merely acting out of anger? A desperate but wasteful last stand to try your hardest to buy the humans time? Such a terrible excuse for offspring. I should have killed you when you were an infant like I originally planned, but your pathetic sibling's pleas swayed me. In fact, I think I should dispose of that one back there, now. You've already nearly killed him, and he has failed too often to do what I ask of him. He used to be such a perfect soldier, but after your little attempts at a rebellion, he started failing me more and more. You infected him, and I intend to kill such a horrid disease before it spreads to any others. As I've said, the strong thrive for every weak fool that doesn't survive..."

His cruel yet often repeated message was punctuated by him raising his arm towards the unconscious demon still laying defenseless behind Meliodas. And although it was clear Zeldris wasn't killed if his current status was any indication, his hearts still sped up painfully at the threat. His father had tried to kill him. After he followed his every command, every lesson. He at the very least thought he had been a useful contribution to the demon realm, a good leader who carried out his father's will well, but apparently not. Apparently his all hadn't been enough. And as he watched in horror as the man fired, he had no idea how himself or Meliodas made it out of this... Until he saw that his own survival turned much more likely than that of his brother's by what the blond did in response to the ruthless attack. 

With speed the blond should've lost with his injuries, he ran in front of his kin and took his darkness off of his own injuries to create a wall with both the substance and his own body to protect his injured brother from the assault altogether. The affect was blinding as pure, black, inky, darkness settled over the scene as if night itself had appeared and snuffed out the light of the moon and stars. Yet as things settled, the toll it took to shield Zeldris was apparent as Meliodas's mark began to flicker. His magic had been exhausted, the very magic pertinent to the blond's survival at the moment was slowly trickling away as Meliodas finally found his adrenaline crumbling along with his body as he collapsed next to his brother. Still in front as if a last, desperate, notion for protection as the fierceness in his emerald eyes never left. 

"A fool to the very end... You spent this whole war content with having him as your enemy, yet you save him now from the end he deserves? Fine, I'll merely kill you both and take both of your souls at once. It will be easier now that you've wasted the last of your energy."

Yet as the king took a booming step towards them, he stopped as Meliodas finally responded to the questions he asked earlier. It was heartbreaking how the boy's voice came in a small, wheezy, trembling, whisper, but he didn't seem to pay any mind. There was a peace about him. An air of confidence around him as if things were finalized beyond either of the battle's participants' control now. 

"He...he.... You call me... a fool, yet it is you... that didn't think this through. I never said... that I was alone... in this fight. As you said.... father, I cannot win against you... nor can I... kill you. But I know others who... can do far worse. It was merely... my job t-to stall..."

The boy started laughing, a startling, unhinged, relieved laugh as the realization settled on the man's face when a bright, pure, light replaced the dark clouds from before. It was obviously an enchantment. The strongest ever made as the whole goddess realm worked hard to make it. It would seal away all live demons remaining, while Meliodas and the Demon King both knew quite well that Meliodas wouldn't be on that list. He had intended to die in this fight, and he was getting his wish. Three of his hearts had already stopped now from the strain of upkeep, soon the others would follow, and they both knew it. 

"No....NO! YOU FOOLISH BOY! HOW DARE YOU!!! YOU WILL NOT GET THE PEACE YOU CRAVE! I WILL MAKE SURE OF IT! I CURSE YOU! WITH THE LAST OF MY STRENTH I CURSE YOU TO LIVE FOREVER WITH YOUR GUILT! NOTHING CAN KILL YOU NOW! YOU AND THIS CURSE WILL LAST UNTIL THE END OF TIME! ONLY AN EQUAL TO MY POWER WILL BREAK IT!"

The boy's eyes widened, pure agony in the emerald irises as he shook his head desperately. 

"No...NO YOU CAN'T, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THIS!!! I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS!-"

He couldn't finish as a burst of light flooded and consumed everything. Drowning out his voice as every demon slowly faded away, leaving him alone once the light faded with tears running down his face as every injury slowly pieced itself back together. 

As Zeldris and Estarossa watched in stunned silence, they were actually given a moment to grieve and process as for once, the memory didn't repeat itself. It was as if the moment was too painful for the demon to have play more than once in his own mind, leaving the three who saw it in silence for a while; before it seemed that Meliodas processed things as well, because the rumbling from before came back. It started small, but the slight tremors soon turned into shaking that was strong enough to cause cracks in the floors again as one by one, the doors began falling apart.

"W-WHAT IS THIS MERLIN!? ARE WE BEING KICKED FROM HIS MIND AGAIN!?"

"I'm not sure! The doors are falling apart! That either means he's remembering or... or everything is being erased for good."

Her words were punctuated by the three falling back into their own bodies as they all jolted awake at once. Now left with no answers as they had no time to go back into the blond's mind, and no way of knowing if there would be good or bad results when the child woke up. Or if... 

Word count 1958