"Vivian," Merlin asked while torturing her disciple. "Where is Princess Elisabeth?"
"The King's room..." Vivian choked out. I'm not even sorry for you, witch.
"So it seems," Merlin told us. She snapped her fingers and we appeared before the King's room.
"Where are we?" Meliodas asked.
"In front of my father's room," I replied.
"I tried to transport us inside but I was repelled," Merlin explained. "It looks like the work of my incompetent pupil."
"Okay," Meli said, getting ready to force his way in. "Everyone stands back."
"Wait, Captain," I told him. "Even your power can't destroy this barrier. Perfect Cube. It's a technique from the spirit world that repels all powers. No matter how strong or weak the power is."
Gilthunder stepped up and tried to open the door with a hand fully charged with lightning bu the failed when the Perfect Cube rejected him.
"Go ahead Victoria," Merlin ordered. I stepped up too and easily opened the door.
"How did you erase the magic?" Meliodas asked.
"Absolute Cancel," Merlin answered for me. "I taught her how to do it when she was younger."
She patted my head while walking toward the King's bed. I walked behind her, unsure of what to do. I mean, I didn't see my father for ten years. Things were definitely awkward.
"Aren't you going to greet your old father, Victoria?" He asked me and I immediately ran in his arms. "I missed you."
"I missed you too, Father," I replied before going back on Gilthunder's side.
We were all interrupted when Dreyfus stepped in the room. Gilthunder laced his fingers with mine and we stepped away from the Holy Knight.
"It's also been a while since we've seen each other, Dreyfus," Meliodas said.
"What is the meaning of this?" The Grand Holy Knight stammered.
"Hendrickson is dead," Gilthunder told him while squeezing my hand. "Without repenting for his life long sin..."
"Sin?" Dreyfus asked.
"I saw it," I explained. "On the morning of the kingdom's tenth anniversary... You conspired with Hendrickson to kill Zaratras. A scene I thought I would never see. I was too scared to do anything so I told Gil, but at the same time, Vivian happened to be present."
"She attached lookouts to each of us," Gilthunder continued. "and we were forced to keep the silence or she would hurt the other."
"I see," Merlin said. "At the time Vivian was very infatuated with Gilthunder."
"But Uncle Meli broke that curse for us," I smiled at Captain.
Dreyfus took a deep breath and dropped on his knees, letting his sword fall on the ground.
"I have lost," He told us, "As they said, I conspired with Hendrickson and killed the Great Holy Knight Zaratras. At first, I was jealous of my older brother. At some point, that jealousy turned into hatred. I am sorry."
"But what does that have to do with what's going on now?" Meliodas asked.
"It's to start a Holy War," Dreyfus answered.
"Holy War?" Arthur questioned. "It's a phrase from an ancient Britannian poem." Merlin replied. "His majesty predicted that it would occur sometime soon."
"But His Majesty ordered us to lay down our swords," Dreyfus added. "I was planning to use the Holy War to lay to rest what happened ten years ago. By annihilating the Eighth Deadly Sins as our enemies in the Holy War, I would leave no one who knew the truth behind the incident. But... Hendrickson thought differently."
I squeezed Gilthunder's hand a little more, the boy needed affection after spending ten years alone next to his father's murderers.
"After that incident from ten years ago," Dreyfus continued his explanation. "Hendrickson changed, but I never suspected he was mad enough to plot the Demon race's resurrection. How did it come to this? All I ever wanted was to be a father that my son could be proud of."
"Griamore is alive," Elisabeth told him. "He was told to guard Veronica's remains. I'm sure he still is, now."
In front of us, Dreyfus started to shake and tears spilt out of his eyes as he let out a broken cry. Behind me, my father walked up to him and Elisabeth and I joined his side.
"Dreyfus..." He started.
"Sire!" The Holy Knight yelled.
"As of now, I am relieving you of your post as Grand Master," My father continued. "Until I hand down your sentence, wait in the dungeon."
"Yes, Sire." Dreyfus lowered his head. Gilthunder brushed past me and handcuffed his father's murderer.
"I'll take him to the dungeon," The pink-haired Knight told us.
My father nodded before spilling blood out of his mouth. Elisabeth and I made him lay down on the ground as Merlin approached to have a look.
"He's weakened considerably," She explained. "He needs treatment right away."
"Lady Merlin," Elisabeth asked. "Please save my father!"
"Yes, I'll do everything I can." The witch answered. "But his majesty can't rest easy here. I'd like to treat him in Camelot. Is that all right?"
"Neither of you has anything to worry about," Father reassured us. "Elisabeth, remember the Vision I just told you about."
She looked strangely at Merlin for a second before turning to smile at me.
"Big Sister Victoria," She told me. "Let's leave it to Lady Merlin!"
"Sure, why not?" I answered.
"I don't know what's going on," Meliodas interjected. "but looks like everything's settled and if that's the case, let's get-"
"Sir Meliodas!" Arthur cut him and took his hands and his armoured ones. "You and I were brought together by a great twist of fate! As Camelo's grand master, I ask for your help!"
"Sure thing," Meliodas replied and I saw my sister's eyes widened in sadness.
"R-Really?" Arthur excitedly said, "Then please come with me right-"
"If I'm ever in the mood," Meliodas added, letting go of Arthur's hands. "I've got to clean up this town, and there's the Boar's Hat too. It's not happening anytime soon."
"No way..." Arthur sighed. Arthur, Merlin and my father teleported to Camelot as I zoned out and concentrated on Xenris. I dropped it during my fight against Gilthunder and I wanted it back.
The staff flew in my hands just as the castle was crushed by an unknown force. I created a shield around Meliodas, Elisabeth and me as we fell between the crushed walls.
"Are you alright, Elisabeth?" Meliodas asked.
"Yes," My sister hesitantly replied.
"What in the world happened just now?" I asked, scratching the back of my head.
"Victoria!" Githunder's voice called me as he appeared behind the smoke and hugged me. "There's one more person."
"Right," I continued now that I could grasp the situation. "Dreyfus is gone."
We watched as many Holy Knights around us transformed into mini-demons.
"The others!" I yelled, punching a demon out of my way. "We need to help them!"
We ran for a couple of minutes before we joined King, Diane and Howzer.
"Gil!" The blond Holy Knight shouted. "What's up with you?"
"There's no time to explain right now," Gil replied. "I'll give the rundown later."
"Captain," King called. "being "forced out of control"... Don't tell me, someone is behind this?"
"Yeah," Uncle Meli replied. "Both Guila and Jericho are New Generation. It's not just these two. Doesn't it seem unnatural for all the New Generation knights in the city to go berserk at the same time?"
"At the same time?" King asked.
"Look," I answered, pointing around us as numerous Holy Knight transformed into these abominations.
"Wh-what's this?" Howzer asked.
Jericho sprinted to Meliodas but was stopped by Diane as a new voice spoke from behind me.
"You're as perceptive as I expected," Hendrickson told us. "The New Generations are, so to speak, losers who couldn't become Holy Knights."
That's kinda harsh but go off Mister-I-Kill-My-Superior-Because-I'm-Too-Weak-To-Have-The-Job-Anyway.
"Their hearts are filled with inferiority towards the Holy Knights," He continued. "and rage at themselves for being inept. This ancient curse will intensify those feelings, and eventually take over all of them."
"So you're alive," Meliodas stated. "Hendrickson!"
"But why does he look like that?" My sister asked.
"He has the demon blood in him too," I replied.
"What an incredible boon!" Hendrickson told us. "When one is truly compatible with Demon blood, it supercharges them physically and amplifies their magical powers. All that research and experimentation was worth it! Hand over Elisabeth."
I got in a fighting stance and charged my magical power at the tip of Xenris, ready to cast a protective spell at any moment.
"Do so, and as one Demon to another, I'll let you live," Hendrickson told Meliodas.
"Don't lump me together with you," Captain replied. "You're neither a human nor a Demon. You're just an idiot!"
"I expected that response," The ex-grand master. "
"Then was this expected too?" King asked as he attacked Hendrickson with Chastiefol.
"Of course," The half-demon replied, getting an invisible force to attack King.
"Reinforcement?" The fairy asked before his eyes widened. "How? I thought you just died! Helbram!"
So, Helbram the Holy Knight was, in fact, a fairy? Miss me with that bullshit. What happened to the ugly meanie guy?
"It's no use talking to him," Hendrickson explained. "He was always dead. Aren't you the one who killed him?"
"You..." I never saw King with such a furry in his eyes. "What did you do to Helbram?"
"I hear you Fairies don't rot even after you're dead," This guy kept on getting more disgusting as the seconds passed. "For almost 200 years, this one's corpse had been going for a high price among black market dealers, and I bought it, and gave it temporary life. A forbidden technique passed down by the Druids, "Enslavement of the Dead"."
"How dare you?!" I shouted, Jenna taught me the forbidden techniques. "Druids respect the deads! You're an abomination!"
"So what?" He replied. "Are they going to fight me now, you're little druids? The problem with that techniques is that one can only be revived twice, you see."
"With each resurrection, the soul erodes," I explained, looking down at my feet. "and the dead's functions diminish markedly."
"That's..." King cried. "That's too cruel!"
"Try to be happier for him," Hendrickson smirked. "I've given you a wonderful opportunity. To kill your friend a third time. A delightful show is about to begin."
"Shit..." Howzer breathed out before getting punched by the ex-grand master.
"That's enough!" I yelled. "Trial of the trees!"
Roots shot up from the ground and wrapped around Hendrickson as he slowly formed a magnificent maple tree. I sighed in relief and turned to the direction where Howzer flew off.
"Victoria..." Meliodas warned as cracking sound started behind me. "He is getting out."
The peel cracked up and a hand shot out from the roots before Hendrickson stepped out of the tree.
"Hendrickson!" Meliodas shouted as Gilthunder and he attacked the grand master.
I sensed a dark aura behind me but didn't react quickly enough to stop Vivian from menacing Elisabeth and me with a knife at our throats.
"Gilthunder!" I choked out.
"Vivian! Curse you!" He shouted at the witch behind me.
"You belong to me, Gil!" Merlin's apprentice smiled. "Do you know how much I love you..."
She didn't have to the time to finish because Hendrickson slashed Gilthunder's back and stabbed Meliodas.
"Gil!" I yelled, getting out of Vivian's grip and running to his side.
"Why did you go after Gil?" Vivian shouted. "That wasn't part of the deal!"
"Oh, yes, it was," Hendrickson assured her. "Now this man belongs to you. Reduced to a corpse, he'll never run from you again."
"Gil, please... come back," I whispered, holding his body in my arms. "Please, open your eyes."
I couldn't do anything given that Xenris was still in Vivian's hands and that I didn't have healing powers without it. I just held onto his body, praying for whatever god was watching over us to make Gilthunder come back.
New chapter! Please don't forget to vote and comment! I hope you enjoyed it!
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