Author's notes: So y'all know that scene where Zeldris is showing Estarossa how to retrieve a Commandment and he chants some weird spell? Yeahhh, there were no subtitles for that scene but I tried my best to write it down. I wrote down what I heard so 92.3% chance that I got it wrong 😂
But other than that, enjoy the new chapter! ❤
"ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄɪɴɢ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴡᴇ'ʀᴇ ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪꜱᴇ?"
ᴀꜱᴛʀɪᴅ ꜱ
"I'm confused because I'm pretty sure Zeldris said you were dead," the Commandment of Benevolence drawls as he leans in on his younger brother and I and examines me. "Care to explain what's going on?"
"Do I look dead to you, you overgrown turkey?" I growl and then head butt him right in the face.
"Dammit (Y/n)!" he yells, backing off a bit as he furiously rubs the area I hit him.
Ignoring the throbbing in my forehead, I grin crazily. "Oops."
"(Y/n), stop acting like a child," my best friend berates.
I pout. "But I didn't—"
"Now, we get down to business," Meliodas speaks over me. "Chandler, take (Y/n)."
"Of course," Grandad says, clearly eager to help. But when he reaches us, Zeldris snarls at him.
"I've got her. We can continue discussing our next move with her here."
Meliodas sighs. "Zeldris—"
"I said I've got her," Zeldris grits out.
"Yeah, what the hell," I say and then weakly wave a fist in the air. "I want to know what you guys are planning to do. No way are you leaving me out of this."
"Fine," Meliodas gives in as he crosses his arms.
"But like you were saying earlier," Zeldris takes the lead, "even if you required all my loaned magic power you'll never match our father's strength. Or maybe you're planning to train until you finally surpass him."
"No, that would take too much of my time," Meliodas immediately says. "We have less than three days to sort this out now. So listen up, both of you. I've got a plan but I'll need you to go out and retrieve all of the Commandments."
"Why do we need to do that?" Estarossa questions.
"It won't work without them," the eldest Prince explains. "In order to rule over the Demon realm, our old man made a choice. With the goal of conquering the entire kingdom, he decided to share half of his power with his servants. But that amount of power was so massive. It would have threatened his own stand. So, to fulfil his conquest to eliminate that risk, our father divided it into fragments. That way no one's share would be too strong. Then he gave it to ten warriors known as the Ten Commandments. By absorbing each of those Commandments, it would put me on a power level equal to the Demon King himself."
"What do you think, Zel?" Estarossa asks as he spreads his hands to the side. "Is something like that an actual possibility?"
"Hey, that is my nickname for him!" I say and then point an accusing finger at him. "You are stealing it!"
Huffing slightly, Zeldris calmly throws me over his shoulder so that I am facing the other direction. His hand is suspiciously close to my butt so I let out a tiny squeak at this.
"Chikai," he murmurs as he lifts his free hand, and three symbols of three Commandments immediately appear in his armoured hand. "I've already started, and have three. These are the Commandments of Gowther, Drole and Gloxinia."
Oh Gloxinia and Drole. I can no longer feel their magic in this realm which can only mean they did not make it. But if that is the case, who exactly—
"Seriously? Let me see," Estarossa says excitedly as he hovers over his younger brother's head.
But Zeldris quickly calls them back. "Kuheeto."
"Show me how it's done," Estarossa insists. "How do I retrieve those Commandments too? Come on. What's with the attitude? We're both supposed to help Meliodas, aren't we?"
"Stay here for a second," Zeldris says as he gently places me on the stone ground and then shoots Chandler and Cusack a warning glare to keep their distance from me.
"Where the hell will I go anyway?" I mutter more to myself as he turns back to his brother.
"Wozun mayhen kieshuma," Zeldris begins to utter while doing strange hand movements.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Estarossa asks, voice slightly panicked. "Wait, are you trying to take my Commandment?"
With his arms blocking his face, Zeldris surges forward. "Nochi mayho!"
A burst of light erupts between the two but eventually disappears.
"Nothing happened to me," Estarossa says when he realises that he still has his Commandment.
"You either need the target to agree to their Commandment's retrieval or to be incapable of combat," Zeldris reveals this as he picks me up again bridal style and heads over to the other Demon Prince. "One of those conditions must be met."
"You should've let me know that first," Estarossa mutters over his shoulder. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
I giggle at this and stick out my tongue at him. "You deserve it."
"Have you really thought this through?" Zeldris asks his big brother. "Gowther, Gloxinia, and Drole had no loyalty to the Demon King so they were exceptions. It's different with the others. They've each pledged total allegiance to our father. If they refuse, you can't just take it away from them."
"Well, they can't say no if they're dead," Estarossa blurts out.
"What?" Zeldris and I snap at the same time.
"Hey, hold on a second," Estarossa says, chuckling. "That didn't come out right. Because what I meant was if they just so happened to be killed by someone that would release them, right?"
"If a Commandment should die, their power remains with their corpse," Zeldris states. "But it's easy to dislodge. With that in mind, I think we should start with the fallen Galand, Melascula, and Grayroad first."
"Well, I've already gotten Grayroad's on my own," my best friend says.
"You did?" Zeldris and I ask. When the hell did he have the time to do that? And how? Because I am pretty sure Merlin would have kept a close eye on Grayroad's Commandment the entire time she had Grayroad imprisoned.
"Chikai," Meliodas murmurs as the symbol of Grayroad's Commandment appears in his hand. "I took it for just such an occasion."
"I can't believe this," Elizabeth breathes as she watches the interaction between all three Demon Princes.
"That accounts for four of them," Meliodas says as he brings back the Commandment. "Find out where the other Commandments are hiding."
"And what about you, big brother?" Estarossa asks. "You're just gonna send us out while you play spectator?"
"Why would anyone from the Demon race hand over their Commandment to someone who they consider a traitor?" Meliodas says as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, which it is. "Which is why you two are doing this. So don't fail, understand?"
Zeldris smirks. "Already settling in on your position, aren't you?"
With me still tucked comfortably in his arms, he starts to head towards the balcony.
"Leave (Y/n) behind," the Sin of Wrath orders.
Zeldris growls. "I won't—"
"Tell me, in what way will (Y/n) be helpful to you?" Meliodas presses on, "She can barely stand on her feet so what will happen if one of the Commandments decides to attack? She won't be able to fight back and you'll have to worry about protecting the both of you at the same time. Leave her here with me and Elizabeth, Zeldris."
I say nothing to this statement since I agree with it and instead gently touch Zeldris's cheek. "I will be alright here. Go with Estarossa."
"But—" Zeldris bites his lip. "I need to—"
"I will be alright," I reassure him. "Don't worry."
"I'm surprised you're willingly agreeing to this plan, (Y/n)," Estarossa says as he starts walking to the balcony as well. "Weren't you always the one who hated the idea of Meliodas becoming the Demon King? Or has something recently changed your mind?"
"I still hate it," I argue, scowling. "But it is the only way we can save Elizabeth."
"And you, of course," Estarossa says and then tosses me a cheeky wink.
"Shut up," I snarl at him. "I was not focusing on that."
"But you should be," Zeldris snaps. "Stop thinking about others and worry about yourself for once, would you?"
As he starts to head over to his mentor, I whisper softly, "What did Meliodas say to you earlier that made you decide to help?"
"He knows how to save you," Zeldris answers quietly but says nothing more.
"By becoming the Demon King. That is something we already know." When he doesn't reply, I swat him across the chest. "Zel!"
"Don't worry about it, (Y/n)," he says firmly. "Meliodas and I know what to do. Right now, I need you to rest and stay safe for me."
"But—"
"(Y/n)," Zeldris says tightly.
"Fine," I snap and then cross my arms grumpily.
"Give her to me, Prince Zeldris!" Chandler yells and shoves poor Grandpa out of the way. "I don't want you doing all this gushy stuff with my granddaughter!"
"I'm in love with your granddaughter," Zeldris says and despite hearing him say this so many times, my heart still screams in delight. "Showing her the love she deserves is what I want to do for the rest of our lives."
"Shorty," I breathe as Cusack knocks Grandad to the ground and takes me instead. "Come back to me safely."
"I will," Zeldris promises and presses a firm kiss on the corner of my lip. "Watch over her for me, Cusack."
"Of course, Sir Zeldris," Grandpa murmurs as he casually uses his foot to push Chandler away.
Chuckling softly, Zeldris walks out onto the empty balcony with Estarossa following him who blows a kiss in my direction. Gritting my teeth, I raise a finger for him and both Grandpa and Grandad cry out in horror at this. Seconds later, we hear them take off towards the night skies.
"Now, (Y/n)," Grandpa says as he smiles at me. "I believe you need some rest."
"Yes please," I mumble as my eyelids start to get heavy.
"Let me take her!" Chandler demands as he stretches out his hands.
"I am perfectly capable of carrying her so there is no need for you to—"
"Grandad, you can carry me when we are halfway to my room," I compromise with a loud yawn. "How does that sound?"
"But—"
"Chandler," my best friend growls, clearly impatient.
"I suppose that's fine," Grandad wails as he presses the tips of both of his index fingers together.
"Grandpa?" I murmur.
"Let us get going then," he says quietly as he starts leaving the throne room.
Elizabeth waves at me before Meliodas starts dragging her elsewhere. Hopefully, she will be able to talk some sense into Meliodas when they are alone. But at the same time, I am hoping she doesn't. Meliodas becoming the Demon King is the only way we will be able to break all of our curses. There really is no other way, to be honest.
"You have grown," Grandpa says, drawing me out of my thoughts.
I raise an eyebrow once he starts climbing the stairs to the second floor. "My curse does not allow me to do that."
"Not physically," he clarifies. "Mentally."
"I see," is all I can say.
"I see no hope in your eyes," Cusack says sadly. "Have you really fallen that far, (Y/n)?"
"Maybe," I answer when we reach the top of the stairs.
"Then rise again," Grandad says from behind Grandpa. "Do not allow yourself to fall into a pit that you cannot climb out of, (Y/n)."
"It is too late," I whisper. "It has already happened." Grandpa opens his mouth to protest but I quickly cut him off. "But I had the Seven Deadly Sins and Elizabeth to help me to climb to the top again, to make sure that I did not lose any part of me."
"Bah!" Chandler scoffs. "I no longer wish to speak of that Goddess. Cusack, pass her to me."
"I barely got to carry her—"
"The deal was that if you could carry her—"
"You already spent some time with her when you were bringing her here—"
"She wasn't awake so I didn't get to—"
"(Y/n)?" a low voice echoes through the dark corridor, a voice that I have always loved ever since I was a child.
As a familiar figure begins to run towards us, my heart feels lighter as I smile widely. "Lenora," I breathe.