Walking through the hole in the wall, we saw many people already at the goal; another giant, the rest of our party we'd lost earlier, and a smattering of other unfamiliar faces. At the top of the large boulder in front of us was a pink haired boy wrapped in vines and a humongous blue giant with fabric covering his face.
"Looks like all the main players are here now," the vine boy said from atop the boulder.
Something felt seriously off. There was a feeling of dread in the air. Everyone exuded confidence, but I just felt weary of the whole situation.
I looked to Jericho and the others we'd lost earlier and Ban immediately called out for Elaine. I bit my lip, did I really want to go back to being Ban's side bitch? Instead of following him like a lost puppy, I reluctantly followed Meliodas and the others to another group of strangers they apparently knew, a gray haired man and a child.
Before any formalities could be had, Meliodas spoke up to the group.
"Now's your only chance to back out." He glanced at me, not so subtly. "They're from the Ten Commandments."
Go figure he thought I couldn't hold my own, I don't know what his deal was. Sure he might've been right, but it really made me feel worse knowing that nobody had confidence in me. I would learn eventually right? It had only been a week maybe since my escape, it's not my fault I'm so dreadfully weak.
I shot daggers at Meliodas when the vine boy began to speak again.
"Ladies and gentlemen of various races, welcome to the ultimate time killer... No, I mean the Great Fighting Festival!"
That bodes well for us, I thought sarcastically.
"First let's prepare the arena where you'll be fighting, take it away Drole." He finished, his creepy little vine tentacles moving as he talked.
The big blue monster moved his hands around methodically and shouted "Gigant Gauntlet!" He raised two of his many arms and the Earth around us began to be manipulated into small platforms. The pig shrieked and I inadvertently took a step away from it, bumping lightly into Howzer.
He looked down at me smiling, "Don't worry lil thing, I'll protect you from the big bad giant."
I tried to muster a smile in response, but I was really worried about the whole situation and it came out as more of a grimace. Howzer didn't seem to mind much though, putting his arm over my shoulder lightly as we continued to listen to the commandments.
"Magnificent." Vine boy said, I looked up and the boulder they once stood on had converted to a stage comprised of two huge stone hands. How was a giant a commandment, I wondered, weren't the commandments strictly demons?
Glancing around at the giant podiums, I was afraid of the power the two commandments held. We were barely able to escape Melascula and Galand a few days ago, the only reason we hadn't perished from them was because of our luck in finding Escanor, but as I glanced over towards him I remembered fearfully that he'd be of no use right now in his weakened night form, a scrawny barkeep.
Instinctively I shrugged Howzer's arm off and found myself back near Ban who stood with Meliodas, Elaine, and the others. I hated to admit it, I just felt safer that way, I had only just met Howzer, who knows if he was actually a good fighter or just unusually buff.
"Since I'd like to get started right away, I'll be cutting off entrants now." The vine boy said in his slightly high pitched, mellow voice. "I'm going to wipe out all those little worms still lurking in the maze, ok?"
My eyes widened slightly at this piece of information. He couldn't possibly mean he was going to kill anyone else still wandering the maze, right? That would be cruel, right?. Confirming my suspicions, the vine boy spoke casually, "Spirit spear Basquias, ninth configuration! Death Thorn!"
Upon saying that, the vines surrounding his body shot out into the maze revealing his true form, a fairy with beautifully rainbow colored wings.
Screams of anguish emerged distantly around us and I felt my heart ache in sadness and shock at all the lives that had been ended just like that. These people had simply wanted to partake in a festival and they were awarded with death. What would their families think when they never returned?
I didn't even have time to mourn the nameless faces that died as King revealed the fairy's identity, the first ever Fairy King, Gloxinia. How could this giant and fairy have betrayed their races to become part of the Ten Commandments? How could they kill innocent people with such ease?
"All right then. Time to get this Great Fighting Festival started!" The newly revealed Gloxinia announced, revealing a man dressed as a referee, Taizoo. He explained that the first round would be a two man tag match. I nervously looked around trying to figure out who I'd partner with. The obvious choice, Ban, would probably choose Meliodas over me. Perhaps Jericho would be willing to deal with me or Howzer who had been eager to train me? Better off, maybe I'd just sit out of the whole thing with the pig and the kid.
Interrupting my thoughts and Taizoo, a feminine looking pink haired man sprung into action joining the crowd of participants.
"Wait a moment!" He called out, flipping off a boulder and landing completely on Escanor whose small body crumbled under the impact. I gasped slightly, but saw that he was still moving, trying to get the man off of him.
"Gowther has arrived!" He declared, dramatically posing.
I felt bad for Escanor as he lamented about his glasses breaking, apparently someone special had given them to him, Merlin? I could only assume she was another one of the sins.
While Escanor cried over his loss, I went over names in my head for seemingly the billionth time. Of the seven sins I had met Escanor, King, Meliodas, Diane only moments ago, and of course I already knew Ban. I hypothesized that Gowther was another one of them based on his interactions with the others, and the final one I assumed was this Merlin who was not currently present. Those seven along with the many others I had met in the last few days, was too much for me to handle. I was overwhelmed to say the least.
I shook myself from my thoughts, feeling as if I should comfort Escanor and calm him down. As I reached his side, Gloxinia rolled his eyes muttering, "Be quiet."
He lifted his hand and his tentacle like vine punctured straight through Escanor's frail body, he collapsed to the side silently, a pained cry leaving his mouth.
My mouth dropped in disbelief. In this state, Escanor would not recover from a wound like that. I dropped to my knees next to him as the other sins and companions surrounded him.
I didn't know the man well, but he has showed me kindness that I hadn't experienced in years.
"I haven't told her yet." Escanor said weakly.
He must love this Merlin woman. I knelt besides him holding his hand and running my fingers through his hair. I wanted to comfort him despite my own devastation. He needed someone. I held in my tears as I felt my heart throb.
"I cannot die, I don't wish to die..."
"It-it's ok Esc. You won't." I said quietly, but my voice betrayed me cracking and oozing doubt.
A vine approached us and Gloxinia spoke, "We went through the trouble of opening this tournament in order to grant everyone's wishes, for example, like this."
The deep green vine grew into a magnificent golden flower in front of my eyes.
"Spirit spear Basquias, seventh configuration, Moon Rose. Droplet of Life" He said simply. A drop of sap fell onto Escanor's wound and it healed instantly, his skin and organs re attaching themselves effortlessly.
Escanor sat up with a confused murmur and I dove into his body hugging him, he awkwardly returned it mumbling about how he thought he was dead.
If this was how the fighting festival would go, I was worried. It was clear that these two commandments could likely kill every single one of us without breaking a sweat. As for Ban and I who were practically indestructible, I don't know what was to come of us. Would our souls be devoured like how Galand and Melascula threatened? Would I go back to a life of torture and misery? I just wanted to crawl into the ground and disappear.
"Now then, Drole please divide them into teams."
There was no turning back now. I was here, and I would have to fight.
