AUTHOR'S NOTE:
be careful when you read the flashbacks. you might get confused by it okay? this is a 3 part chapter so read on.
EPILOGUE STARTS.....
Normal POV
The Kingdom of Liones was back to normal. And by normal, I mean...completely dentless. As in the whole area didn't look like there was a bloody battle evident everywhere they go. The civilian living in the City had returned from their stay at the town far away from from the Palace. Even King Baltra was speechless at the cleanliness the Sins and Knights left. Usually, the city would be in total chaos when they returned but it seems not.
Everyone had went back to their former estate before all of this incident. As for the Sins, they had left Camelot for a new adventure coming their way. Meliodas thought that it would be best to leave the past behind and also, get Elizabeth away from the things that reminded her of Meldy. The entire day after Meldy's disappearance, Elizabeth kept quiet. Due to her weak state and lack of rest, Elizabeth ended up sleeping off the remaining energy she had left. After all that crying, Meliodas carried her to his room. She slept peacefully half of the day. Her injuries haven't healed yet so through sleep, Elizabeth was able to recover.
Downstairs, the Sins stayed silent after hearing about the EXPLANATION that Meliodas had told them. I think they too understood why Meldy had to go. She was suffering for that long. There was silence in the room, none of them dared to talk after their 'TALK' earlier. Everyone had their own opinions running around their mind.
"I'll say what's on my mind.....so Captain, .......................you're such an idiot." Ban complimented about Meliodas' shitty job.
"I know...and I accept that." Says Meliodas.
"and a careless father." Ban added
"yeah."
"and a forgetful one as well."
"I know."
"and a---"
"Shut up! The both of you stop acting like children. That's the past. What's done is done. You learned from your mistakes so apply that next time." King was annoyed at both at them. Mostly at Ban.
"Ne Captain...has Elizabeth not know any of this yet?" Diane questioned.
"I'm gonna tell her ...when she wakes up." Meliodas replied. The gang had now known EVERYTHING of the situation. Meliodas still blames himself eveyday ..even after Meldy disappeared because of his carelesness.
"I just wish....I could have been more careful all those times."
"Yes..you should have. But troubles will always come. You can't just sit around and dodge it, so you must fight. But try not to hurt yourself." Says Gowther.
"But I did....multiple times........and that resulted to so many wrong intentions...." Meliodas keeps repeating the images hiding on Meldy's figure. "If I had a time machine, I could undo IT."
"But if you do unto everything, Liones would still be under Hendrickson's command, you wouldn't have been able to defeat him...there's an advantage and disadvantage to everything so.....you'll just have to accept it." Diane silently said. She didn't want Meliodas to feel even more down.
"Yeah Captain....it benefited everyone....." King added.
"But not Meldy......" Meliodas said. That shut everyone up. In life, there are advantages and disadvantages. There are benefits and bad elements but that's how life is. Nothing was fair unless you had the control.
*****
Meanwhile.....
Elizabeth was fast asleep in Meliodas' room. Her injuries were healing. Time heals wounds...but I don't think time can heal the wound in her heart. Even in one's dreams, they can still get hurt..not physically...but emotionally. Elizabeth tossed and turned left and right. The scene replayed in her mind kept rewinding itself non-stop.
Dream.....
"I can't wait till Christmas! It's coming soon. We'll have lots of fun..just You, me, Meliodas-sama, Hawk-chan, Ban-sama, Diane, King-sama, Gowther and Merlin-san.....it will be wondeful!" Elizabeth cheered at that thought. They'll have a blast with singing carols, giving presents, family dinner and beer...mostly it's beer.
Meldy watched Elizabeth's joyful expression. She didn't smile like Elizabeth did. Actually, Meldy frowned. Elizabeth noticed her silence and frown. "Meldy..is something wrong?" Meldy didn't say anything yet.
"Elizabeth-sama.....I can't stay longer... I leave..again." Elizabeth didn't want her to go. But she understands if Meldy has to leave for another mission.
"It's okay...I understand if you want to go....hmm." she started thinking of a plan... "I know! Why don't we celebrate Christmas early? That way, you'll have happy thoughts while you go!" Elizabeth was already planning everything in her mind.
"No..Elizabeth-sama...you don't understand..."
"Of course I do!......" she lowered her tone. "even if you leave tomorrow..or right now......, I can wait the next nine years for you to come back..I don't mind really." Elizabeth was so sure of herself.
Meldy hasn't said a word. She just kept mouth shut then bit her inner lip. "Elizabeth-sama...you..Hawk, Papa or anyone else..... won't be seeing me forever." She had finally said it.
"uh...w..why is that? ....." Meldy didn't have eye contact with her. "y..you're not dying right?"
"No.....I'm not." Elizabeth felt relieved.
"then...w..what is it?"
Meldy looked at her side. The dark sky was ever so slowly turning skyblue. "Elizabeth-sama..........
I'm not gonna die...........
I'm gonna vanish......
Because when the sun goes up.......
...................
..............
..........
.....
I will cease to exist." A tear drop slid down on the side of Meldy's eye.
It felt like the world was spinning around Elizabeth's head. Did she hear Meldy right? Was she imagining this? The horrible truth hits Elizabeth like hundreds of knives piercing her innocent heart.
"th..that's not true right?...you're joking right Meldy?" Elizabeth's voice sounded like desperation. She really wanted it to be a joke. She wanted this silly joke to stop so that both can have a good laugh. But this wasn't a joke, this was reality.
The sun has started to shine. From behind the mountain, Elizabeth can clearly see something glowing on the bottom. The sky has slowly turned skyblue, the only thing left to clarify the color was the sun. Something in front of Elizabeth started glowing like Fireflies ....Meldy was glowing. The side of her body started dismantling itself to glittery dots.
"W..why?...why do you have to go?" Elizabeth came closer to Meldy. Her glow increased by the second. And out of nowhere small dots of yellow light appeared. More of them came out, they floated away from where the two have been standing on.
"No..No...Meldy don't go...." Elizabeth run up to Meldy and hugged her tight. "Please...you can't go...."
"I have to.....The disease is over when the sun rises. I used up all my blood in that potion Merlin-san gave me........Elizabeth-sama, I can only heal one....but it was a miracle how I healed hundreds of knights at the same time....." Elizabeth saw part of Meldy's hair is disappearing.
"what about Meliodas-sama? ....Your dad will be heartbroken once he knows." Elizabeth reasoned.
"Papa already knows. That's why he let me save them." Meldy explained. Meliodas knew that this was going to happen, it was hard for him to accept it but, it had to be done.
"No...Meliodas-sama wouldn't accept this..he wouldn't......Meliodas-sama loves you...he can't just a..accept this...he just can't." Meldy just watched Elizabeth stutter so fast. she just still can't believe this is happening.
There goes a quarter of the sun, Half of Meldy's body had started to fade. Elizabeth kept on crying. She hugged Meldy even tighter, hoping that the more she'll keep a grip, Meldy might not disappear but she still is. Elizabeth cried her heart out, for she knows that there is nothing she can do to prevent Meldy from leaving.
"I..I don't know this feeling....I've only met y..you...for two d..days...and now.....why do I feel like..I don't ever want to loose you?" Elizabeth kept on sobbing. She wonders how a short spam of time could make her love this girl so much. Meldy held Elizabeth back. Even though her vanishing form is visible, the warmth of her touch is still there. Meldy thought that maybe she could break some ice..to lighten Elizabeth's mood.
"I have never known my mom... It was always Papa, Hawk and I. Before, I use to wonder....how would it feel like...t..to have a mom.......and Elizabeth-sama?" Elizabeth opened her ears and listened to every word Meldy had to say. "you've given me my Christmas wish...."
"h..how?..."Meldy pulled away from Elizabeth so that they were face-to-face. She held on both Elizabeth's shoulders and said,
"by being the mother that I never had." Those words were true. Meldy looks up to Elizabeth like the mother she has always wanted.
"Meldy....." Elizabeth couldn't contain the sobs.
"At least that when I go....... I'll have happy memories with you." Meldy's hands had disappeared. Elizabeth slid down to a kneeling position.
"I'll miss you.....Meldy...."
Meldy's lower body has vanished, leaving her top half. The sun has fully risen. Their moment has reached it's limit. "always stay by Papa's side.........and by the way............I support MeliZabeth.........." even in sad times, Meldy managed to make Elizabeth blush even when she was crying.
"I love you...........Mama.....................................................arigatou" says the voice of Meldy as the dots of light vanished when it exposed itself to the sun's rays. Elizabeth hasn't stood up after. She still stayed on the floor staring at the spot where Meldy had vanished. Fate can sometimes play a cruel game on humanity. She kept on crying till her eyes were dried out. Elizabeth was heartbroken..inside and out.
"Elizabeth?" she turned around to see Meliodas. He feels sorry for her. She wonders how long he has been hiding behind the wall.
"Gomene....I lied...........again." He came over to her. "about not knowing where Meldy was at...." He touched her shoulder from behind.
"w..why?" Elizabeth stuttered while sobbing.
"Because I didn't want you to see her disappear in front of yours eyes...I know how much you care about her...even more, attached to her. I knew it would break your heart." Elizabeth didn't turn to look at Meliodas right now..she just wanted to be alone.
"You know, I was listening to you two's conversation the whole time.....and I will admit it myself......." Elizabeth slowly turned to face him. "You're the best mother Meldy could ever have." That made Elizabeth do three things.
Smile. Blush. And then Cry again. Elizabeth stayed silent trying to register everything that has happened. Meliodas waited for her to say something but it seems she's not gonna wanna talk.
"Tell me....what can I do to make it up to you?"
"c..can you...tell me everything?" Elizabeth looked up to him. "No more lies..no more secrets....I wanna know.......everything......please Meliodas-sama."
"I promise...and I will."
End of Dream.....
*****
"Meldy!" Elizabeth screamed when she woke up from her supposed dream. How can such a nice dream turn into a nightmare unintentionally? Medy's vanishing was still fresh in Elizabeth's mind that she didn't hold back the small sobs. While sobbing, Elizabeth turned her head to the side of the bed. She saw something green sparkling on the bed side table.
she took the small accessory by her hand and held it close to her. "This is......" an image of Meldy combing her to the same style of hair as Elizabeth with the dragon hair pin clipped on her bangs appeared in Elizabeth's mind. Elizabeth clipped the pin unto her bangs. She stood up and walked over to the mirror. Just by looking at the mirror, Meldy and Elizabeth looked almost alike due to their same hair style.
Elizabeth cherished this little piece of clip. It is the only remembrance of Meldy to her. She was in deep thought about everything while staring at the mirror. She wanted answers. The dragon clip shined. The dream she had made her remember of Meliodas' promise.
"Tell me....what can I do to make it up to you?"
"c..can you...tell me everything?" Elizabeth looked up to him. "No more lies..no more secrets....I wanna know.......everything......please Meliodas-sama."
"I promise...and I will."
Elizabeth quickly went to find her clothing. She gently took off her night gown and got dressed. The attire was revealing so the bandages were still visible. "I hope...you keep that promise Meliodas-sama." Says Elizabeth to herself before leaving the bedroom.
*****
Elizabeth looked around the bar. Meliodas doesn't seem to be there.
"Ah..Elizabeth..you're finally awake...are you okay now?" Diane came up to her. Her injuries were still visible cuz of the many bandages covering her.
"Mm...I'm fine now. It still aching but I'm fine." Diane felt relieved.
"Diane..have you seen Meliodas-sama?" Diane knew she was gonna ask that.
"ah..yeah..he's at the River side. Said he wanted you to go there when you wake up."
"Uh...hai..then..I better get going...arigatou." Elizabeth thanked her before leaving the bar.
Meliodas had never told Diane to tell Elizabeth to meet him there. Diane knew just how much Elizabeth wants to know. It was time for her to find out. She hopes that after Meliodas' explanation, Elizabeth's mood will change from the truth.
*****
Meliodas walked around the river side. He noticed the wilted plants and grass were slowly turning back to normal. Nature has magic which he'll never know. He observed the damaged area. Meldy did this, That night when they had left. Meliodas asks himself how a sweet girl like her could do such chaos around him.
"Like Father like daughter huh?" Meliodas chuckled to himself. Yes..they are so alike. Try comparing Meliodas. He looks like a harmless little child but a warrior in disguise. And he imagined Meldy. A sweet lovable girl but a demon in disguise. The facade must run in the family. Meliodas wished that he could have been a better guardian. A better protector. A better Father, he wouldn't have lost his only daughter.
Meliodas was sitting under the tree where he and Meldy had slept under after she had arrived. He stared at the scenery of the river. The light reflecting on the water. He remembers how Meldy was more focused on the lights that their father-daughter time. He leaned unto to the tree trunk just staring at the afternoon sky. He wanted to get away from his problems before facing Elizabeth but it seems that wasn't happening.
"Meliodas-sama?" caled Elizabeth's voice. Meliodas immediately opened up his eyes wide. How did Elizabeth know that he was here? "Meliodas-sama...I'm glad I found you!" Elizabeth went over to him. she stood on the side while Meliodas sat below.
"uh...Elizabeth....how did you know I was here?"
"Diane told me to meet you here....so I came."
"Diane huh?" Meliodas repeated with that chibi face he always makes. Meliodas didn't look at Elizabeth yet. He was wondering wether to tell her now or later.
"Elizabeth I---"
"You promised me Meliodas-sama....and I'd like to know.........now, please." Meliodas and Elizabeth made eye-to-eye contact. He can see how the suspense is eating her right now.
"Yeah..I did." I guess it was time to tell her. "Sit down with me." He gestured by tapping the ground.
After The two made comfortable with their spot, silence welcomed them. Meliodas doesn't know wht to say first.
"well....what would you want to know?"
"Everything.....how ALL OF THIS.........happened?" Elizabeth even made hand signs.
"where should I begin?"
"from the start."
"well..I guess we should start at when Meldy was born." Meliodas put his hand under his chin.
"that's a good topic to start."says Elizabeth.
"okay...feel free to ask any questions okay?" Elizabeth only nodded her head in agreement.
"well, it all started about 10 years ago. After The Nanatsu No Taizai got framed for murder.....we all split. I met Hawk and established the bar. Months after, I was wanting to know where my Full Power has gone. All I remembered before blacking out was Merlin smirking down at me.
I didn't know what happened to it so I tried investigating it myself. One day, Mama Pig took the bar to a remote land where there were less people and trees. I figured that if I'm going to unleash my power to track down where my Full Powers went to, I had to do it somewhere isolated." (A/N: and by Power, I meant his WRATH FORM.)
"and...did the plan succeed?"
"No.....I thought it was going to be easy. Easier said than done."
"so..what happened?"
"I opened up all of my senses. That includes my mind. That is where it all went wrong. My curiousity got the best of me. To be honest, I didn't want to be THAT Meliodas again.....but I was curious to know where my Full powers went, I avoided danger and went with it. I dove down deeper into my demonic mind...hoping that I might find a glimpse of my power because if anyone can find that power, its me."
***
"Meliodas! Meliodas! Get a hold of yourself!" Hawk kept on yelling his name but Meliodas didn't hear him. He blocked all connections from the outside world. His body, mind and soul were going deep down to the center of a demon.
***
"My mind and heart were in conflict again....what was the reason why I didn't want to unleash my Wrath?...that's what I repeated back to my mind." Elizabeth remembers why. She understood the situation.
"Yes...you had your reasons....but, how did any of that .....created Meldy?" Elizabeth had a theory but it was farfetched.
"Because I was in conflict with two reasons, My very 1st reason got to me. Someone appeared in my mind. From the outside, I was bleeding unconsciously. Claw marks were appearing on it's own. And on the inside of my mind, I was having a hard time swimming out of the pool of blood I was related to."
"s..someone?" she whispered to herself. Elizabeth gets the introduction of his explanation.
***
"Meliodas wake up! You're bleeding super fast!" Hawk ran back to the bar and took a blanket and a medical kit for his mysterious wounds. Meliodas was breathing heavily and sweating so much.
***
"The more I kept thinking of THAT PERSON, the more my mind got clouded with unwanted memories. I finally pulled out of my trance because when I regained my senses, I was indeed bathing in my blood. The claw marks disappeared. My skin didn't look like someone was slashing knives at me.
But the one thing I noticed from the pool of blood is that.....there were purple blood mixed with the red ones...I don't know what truelly happened because all of a sudden, something started moving in there."
***
"Meliodas you could have gotten killed out there!" Hawk complained over and over on how reckless Meliodas did.
"Hai..hai..I'm okay now...see? I'm not bleeding anymore Hawk." True. He wasn't bleeding.
"So...did you find a lead?"
"No.......there was.......something blocking me."
"Hmm? What was it?" Meliodas didn't answer, instead, he just brushed off Hawk's question.
"well I tried...let's go back inside."
Meliodas was about to leave when... "Meliodas! Look!" the two watched as the little pond of blood started forming bubbles..like someone was swimming under there. They also noticed why there are purple blood traces sprawled on the sides..those were moving on it's own to the center.
"N..nani? what's happening?" asked a very scared Hawk. The pond started getting smaller. It was morphing into something. Meliodas just watched as the scene infront of him continued on.
"it looks like...a person?" the pond of blood reduced. He was right, it didn look like a person. The body was laying on the ground. The remaining drops of blood were going inside the person's body...as if it was like a human sponge.
The first thing they noticed was blonde hair. The unknown person was fully seen and............and...................naked.
***
"s..so...wh...what did you do?" Elizabeth was obviously blushing.
"I made sure she was alive..you know, her heart beat."
"ah...okay." Elizabeth still remembers her first encounter with Meliodas. A sweat dropped.
***
"A..A......it's a girl!" Hawk shouted. He realized that she was naked so he quickly took the blanket and covered her.
"Hmm.......let me check." Meliodas was being his perverted self..again. "the body shape...." he swayed his body left and right. "this new baby smell...." you know where he smelled it. "this small elasticity." Yup, he was gropping one of the girl's boob. "hmm...flat....but I think they'll grow out."
"Baka!!!!!!! You do not go harassing unknown little girls like that while they're unconscious." Hawk head-butted Meliodas' stupidity.
"I was just making sure that she was really a female."He didn't really listen. What got Meliodas' attention was the girl's appearance. "This face........." he touched the side of her cheek and gently brushed it. "why do you look like....." he questioned her unconscious state.
The touch startled the little girl and woke her up. Hawk backed away, hiding himself behind Meliodas. When the girl was fully awake, she tried to sit up. While doing so, Meliodas' hand was still holding the side of her cheek. He observed her....they two looked...identical.
***
"Eh? T..that's how..Meldy was born?..b..but ..how was that possible?" Elizabeth couldn't believe any of it.
"I have no idea as well. I don't know what happened but it happened..just like that." This was very mysterious. Elizabeth feels that Meliodas was indeed telling the truth. No one knows how it really happened. Guess They'll never really know.
"Honestly, after that event, I tried investigating how it all happened but in the end, I came back with no results. So I just let it be. Go with the flow and there we go.....................I had a daughter."
"How did you know Meldy was.....your daughter?
"well we both looked alike....blonde...green eyes...though she was a lot taller than me...and also, it's because she came from my blood. So that basically tells me that she was indeed my daughter.
I had no idea how to raise a kid,so Hawk and I took care of Meldy by ourselves. It was fun. And it's weird because, I felt...happy.....like really happy." Meliodas turned to look at Elizabeth.
"I see......." Meliodas hasn't stopped staring at Elizabeth. "Is something wrong?"
"Nah....it just...well you remind me of Meldy from 10 years ago...her hair style looked just like yours..only shorter."
"really?........" Elizabeth blushed.
"You make a great mom to her." Meliodas complimented. Elizabeth was acting like a mother to Meldy all this times.
"and you a great Father, Meliodas-sama." After those words left Elizabeth's mouth, Meliodas's mood completely changed from happy to guilt.
"Don't say that...."
"huh?"
"I'm the worst dad ever."
"w..why would you say that?"
"Elizabeth, this is where it gets complicated so I need you to hear me out...properly...okay?" Meliodas was dead serious.
"uh...hai." she said nervously.
"I will admit, I had happy memories with Meldy...but there are also bad times. Now I'm going to tell you......how a girl like her, got stuck with this kind of fate?" this was it. Elizabeth was about to know how Meldy was the source of this virus. Her heart was pumping from nervousness and curiosity. We all know what happens..Curiosity kills the cat. But the cat didn't die in this.......it will judge.
CONTINUES IN PART TWO...
A/N: Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! So how was part 1? I think you get who the mother is right now huh? Well since I didn't say her name, I guess I'm safe from getting killed by you my lovely readers so.........................see you in Part two. Read on!.