When Elizabeth and Meliodas first met (part 5)
Part 4 - Spanish version - part 6
This time, he was going to make it. Ever since Elizabeth told him about the trap they were going to face on their next mission, Mel had been trying to convince his father to change the strategy, but he wouldn't listen. He kept saying that 2 commandments were enough for any kind of goddess army. Plus, the attack was going to happen 2 days from then, and they wouldn't change the whole strategy just for Meliodas' hunch.
Mel had a bad feeling about this. Something bigger prepared by the Supreme Deity was not something to look at slightly, and he refused to lead so many demons from the army to a certain death. But there wasn't much he could do now. He would have to do what he could in the battlefield.
Zeldris was following him. -Anything you want to tell me?- He said to him sharply. His younger brother muttered something under his breath, but seemed to give up on it.
-I just... you seemed a little uneasy with Father earlier, I just wanted to make sure everything was ok- Since when did Zel concern so much about him? But he couldn't tell him much anyway.
-Everything's fine- He said before leaving for the training arena.
Galand, Meráscula and Fraudrin were already there. This last one wasn't actually one of the Commandments, though he spent time with them as if he were. No one doubted he had enough strength to be one of the team, he had the experience he would need too, so everyone knew that if anything happened to one of the Commandments, he could take their place. He felt his chest warming up just by watching at these three train. The same feeling he had whenever he was overlooking his subjects. They were under his protection, and he would do anything for them. He approached carefully and started practicing the moves his teacher Chandler had given him. If he ever wanted to be this people's king, he could allow no errors.
When the day arrived, everything was ready for the mission. They left at down, hoping to finish the job before midday, and get the few goddesses that there would be in such a meaningless island off guard. The army that he was taking was a little too big, he even thought that maybe his father wanted to risk the lives of this many demons for no reason. He hoped to be wrong.
When they arrived, as they approached the power source of the island right in the base of the rock, Mel felt like entering the belly of the beast. He told his fellow Commandments+extra to take half the demons to scout the area, because something felt wrong, while he took the other half to get the job done.
As soon as he was beneath, a flash of light reduced to shreds all the demons he couldn't cover with his darkness. He took his refuges out of there as fast as he could, just as an other blast made him loose his balance and blinded him. By the moment he could see again, the other half of the troops were under attack, facing the biggest army of goddesses he had ever seen. It had been wise to bring the extra demons, it reduced the difference of numbers.
An other blast, this time much bigger than the others, and the demons he was covering died instantly. He looked for the one responsible, to find the leader of the Archangels looking down at him with that obnoxious grin. Before he could strike back, he got trapped in a 3-sided tornado of stormy power (lightning, wind, water), coming from the Archangels Ludociel, Sarmiel and Tramiel. Was this ambush the big surprise the Goddess Queen was preparing? He doubted it. This was not predicted, but also too simple. He managed to free himself and charge at Tramiel. The goddess dodged, leaving an opening for him to help Fraudrin out of a hairy situation. Sarmiel tried to attack him from behind, but Mera had his back.
With the few seconds he had, he got rid of most goddesses around, also giving strength and darkness to his allies. Despite having the disadvantage, the demons were starting to dominate the battle. The combined darkness of three of the Commandments, plus Fraudrin and many minor demons, was enough to contaminate the goddesses magic, weakening them. Meliodas soon had to turn, before Mera finally collapsed after holding the Archangels for almost 5 seconds on her own. They started an open 3 to 1 fight in midair. Mel was outnumbered, but he managed to make it even. If it wasn't for the darkness he had inherited from his father, that was specially deadly to even the strongest goddesses, then he would already be dead.
It was almost a fair fight, until he showed up. Mael came in all mighty and powerful as the sun. All four Archangels surrounded Meliodas and synchronized their attacks so that he wouldn't get a second to breath. He had to use more power now. With every new moment, he invoked more and more magic, soon it would be dangerous. He couldn't tell what was happening with the others, but he had no time to worry about them. He could keep up for a while, but he feared that when he got out of this, his subjects would be reduced to demon dust in the wind. He almost fell into despair, his demon mark now going down his chest, his movements more erratic and his darkness starting to get out of control around him.
Despite the mess, Meliodas caught a gleam of a kind light he knew well. Elizabeth was there, helping everyone she could. A blast almost got to her, and Meliodas lost focus. Mael took the chance to strike, breaking the formation with the others, and charging directly towards him with a wing-like sword in his hand. Mel reacted, instinctively directing his darkness to his blade responding to the other one's light. The impact was so powerful, everyone around was pulled backwards. Both warriors fell.
Meliodas woke up on a nurse bed in the Demon Realm. He couldn't move, and all his body hurt.
-So you're finally awake- Said Zeldris from one corner of the room. -It never took you so long to recover from a battle-
Mel tried to answer, but his voice wasn't working.
-Don't even think about it. You've received some beating- The younger one looked down, and said with an acusive tone, -You took a big risk out there, fighting the 4 Archangels all by your self. One more second and it was too late... I guess you should be thanking that- He pointed at a spot on Meliodas' chest He looked down the best he could. A glowing crater burnt his skin above several broken ribs. He contained the scream, and tried to heal himself with his darkness, but there was no use.
-We already tried that. This is Mael's magic, plus an special enchantment from the Supreme Deity herself. It's too strong. Your darkness was parcially sealed, that's why you're still yourself- Mel noticed his mark was still covering his chest and shoulders, it was unbelievable that it hadn't gone further. He tried to sit, but almost fainted on the spot.
-You shouldn't move. Your body is struggling to keep that light from growing, and your condition will get worse if you push it- The blond was not happy about it, but he relaxed the best he could. Until a throbbing pain flooded his mind, the light now trying to break through his flesh, as if someone had changed the command.
On the other side, a goddess was nearly dead. His body was covered in burn and sword marks, infected by immeasurable amounts miasma. The Winged sword had prevented the worst of the attack, thpugh that was not what it was designed to do. He didn't even get the clear strike he wanted, so the Queen's magic in the weapon didn't hsve the effect he was hoping in his opponent. It didn't matter anymore. Parts of his body were already obsidian black in strange patterns, like creeper plants, and were spreading quickly. If the darkness reached the base of his wings, that connected his body with all of his magic, it was over.
Nurses tried to heal him and purify the darkness, even his brother Ludociel tried to help, but nothing worked. Meliodas' magic was just too strong. Mael knew he was doomed. Instead of trying to heal, he directed the last of his energy to kill the demon he didn't know why he hsted so much, making use of the light he had managed into his body. Red liquid ran down the side of his face as he cough the blood out of his throat. It seemed to be the end, until a miracle came.
The princess of the Goddess Clan sighted in horror when she entered the room, and ran towards him. Mael was suffering, but couldn't help being happy to see her. Elizabeth rose a hand over his body, and her light filled the room.
She could barely see, in this place covered by the darkness. This magic, it didn't allow her to be afraid. She turned, to meet Meliodas looking back at her. She ran to hug him.
-Hi Eli- He said calmly, but his voice was weak. Elizabeth noticed the irregular patterns of his heartbeats, and pulled away to find a huge wound in the center of the other's chest. The demon looked down.
-Yep. That Mael is a formidable opponent. He won't stop fighting until the end. Guess I can't say anything about it- He said looking around.
-Meliodas, please retire your magic. Mael is under a lot of pain, and he's a very important friend to me and...- Mel interrupted her with a kiss on the cheek, then he looked straight to her eyes.
-It's ok. You don't need to give me reasons. For you, I would do anything- He said, starting to fade -Plus, you could have dissolved my darkness if you wanted to, you're stronger than you think- She blinked again and she was back to the nursery in the palace. Mael was way better, and most of the poison had abandoned him, his worse wounds were closed. She got back to her room, happy for being able to help.
Meliodas only felt as something hurt on his forehead, and all his energy abandoned him.
When he regained consciousness, he got up weakly and saw his brother on a chair, waiting for him. He was not in good shape, as if he had not slept since he got back from the last battle.
-You should get some rest. I'm fine now- Zeldris looked at him, with a face of concern.
-You sure?- He told him to look at the mirror in the wall. Mel didn't know what to say. His demon mark had changed, in the center of his forehead instead of on the side. It looked kinda like an eye, with a center and a circle around it, very different from the usual spiral with spikes.
-Our father did that. He said that during your fight with the Archangels, you let out new energy from the power of the DK. He had to make a new seal to contain it. If it wasn't for that seal, you'd have become and Indura before we got you back home- Mel couldn't believe it. Even with the seal fully working, he could feel his darkness flowing through his body with a strength he had never felt before. But there was no time to be surprised.
-Guess I'll have to get used to controlling it again- He said, looking at his hand, already irradiating miasma.
During the following weeks, no one dared to get close to him while he was training, as his darkness was unpredictable now. He was fighting against it, trying to control the amount that he let out. He wasn't allowed out of the kingdom until he made it, he began to wonder what Elizabeth was doing.
I should have posted this last week. Sorry! Anyway, thanks for reading. Bye!
