The Goddess' Druid

(Chapter 36) Solar Eclipse

Halfway to Camelot, Hawk started to freak out, and Ban appeared in front of him after a few minutes. "Well then, did you enjoy your trip to and through Hell, Ban?" Arcadia asked, causing him to grab the girl and hug her tightly. "Y'know, the cap'n told me a lot about you when you were little, Arc. I've got quite a few fun stories to tell, now." He said, smirking. Her face paled slightly, but she sighed before hugging him back. "I knew you'd get back, but where is Meliodas?" She asked, causing him to sigh angrily. "We were almost out of there, but that bastard grabbed him before we could both get out of the gate back here." He said, clenching his fists. Arcadia shook her head. "All he has to do is abandon his fear of his father, but that's easier said than done." She said. "However, we don't have time to waste. Come on, we have to go!" She said, picking Ban up and throwing him onto Diane's shoulder as the group continued to get closer to Camelot.

Hendrickson watched as Ludociel crawled over to him, gripping his jacket as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Hendrickson, please, take me to see Mael." He begged, causing his eyes to widen. "Sir Ludociel..." he mumbled. "Pathetic, aren't I? It's ok, you can laugh all you want, but take me to see my brother, please!" He begged. Hendrickson put a hand on top of the Archangel's head and sighed. "You poor thing." He muttered, before he used every last bit of his mana to call his magic to him as he spoke. "Purge." He said simply, yelling as the Archangel was driven out of Margaret's body. There was a flash of light, and Gilthunder saw Ludociel laying on the ground a little ways away from Margaret. "Take her and go back to Liones, Gilthunder." Hendrickson told him, looking at the unconscious Archangel as Gilthunder spoke. "What about you?" He asked, eyes wide with worry. "I will stay here. I've done far too much wrong, and I doubt that I can be forgiven for it." He then turned to a shocked Gilthunder. "One more thing. Your father told me to give you a message for him. He said, 'I will always be watching over you, son.'" He told him, causing tears to well up in Gilthunder's eyes before he nodded and took an unconscious Margaret into his arms and using his magic to launch himself in the direction of Liones.

"You bastard, how dare you trick me, Hendrickson?!" Ludociel demanded to know, before he saw a sad smile on the Druid's face. "You know, though we druids do worship the Goddesses, when I saw how atrociously you treated Gilthunder, and the princesses, too, it shocked me to find that you were Arcadia's older brother. But when you became shocked that your brother was alive, well, I couldn't help but laugh." Ludociel stood. "You..." he grumbled. "I am not afraid of death, so please, take me as your vessel. Use this body and life force to your heart's content." He said, causing Ludociel to stop and think. He thought back to earlier, when he spoke with Arcadia before they set off to get to Camelot.

"Please keep Hendrickson safe. He means a lot to me." Arcadia pleaded.

With a long drawn out sigh, Ludociel spoke. "No." He said, causing Hendrickson to tilt his head in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked. "I finally understand why Arcadia asked me to make sure you returned to Liones alive, and why she slapped my hand away when I told her she didn't know of the pain of being rejected and forgotten. I was the foolish one." He turned to Hendrickson. "Even if I could use your body as my vessel, which I can't because of your magic, it would upset Arcadia." He said, causing Hendrickson's eyes to widen. "It's so stupidly obvious to me now, that you're her lover. I was a fool to assume that she was still the naive little girl I left behind all those years ago, or that she was weak like she had been at the age of ten." Ludociel said, as Hendrickson stared at him. Ludociel turned to look at Hendrickson, and walked over to him, healing him. "Please, don't die, Hendrickson, not here, not on the way back to Liones. Live for my sister, and take care of her, please. After all, I've been quite a failure of an older brother, and that goes for both Arcadia and Mael." He said. "Take care of her like I could not." Ludociel finished, launching himself into the air as he got ready to attack the Original Demon.

Arcadia flew ahead of the others and over Camelot, sighing in relief when she saw Hendrickson. She dove down and landed beside him, causing him to jump slightly. He then smiled at her, holding his arms out to hug her. Arcadia stood up properly as tears welled up in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. "Hendy..." she squeaked, running to him and hugging him tightly. "Arcadia, are you alright?" He asked, running his fingers through her hair. She nodded softly, wrapping her arms around his neck as she tried to take deep breaths. Arcadia then looked up at him and spoke. "I thought you had been hurt, I was so- mph?!" She was cut off by him pulling her close and kissing her, an arm wrapped around her waist as the other went to her cheek. Hendrickson pulled away and sighed, hugging her as she leaned against his chest. "I'm alright, but what happened that made everyone freak out like they did?" He asked, looking down at her. Arcadia nodded at Mael, who was beside Orchid in the sky above. "Greatest Sun!" Mael called, as Orchid did the same. "Greatest Moonlight!" She yelled, combining her attack with Mael's. "Combined Attack, Solar Eclipse!" They yelled, sending the attack at the Original Demon. "Agh!" He yelled, as Zeldris watched the demon get launched over the horizon. "Damn you, you bastard!" He yelled, flying up to attack Merlin as she tried to complete the Chrono Coffin spell on the cocoon that Meliodas was in. "Five more minutes!" She called, causing Zeldris to try attacking again. However, Mael stopped him. "Let's make a deal. If I can defeat you in combat in five minutes, then I win, but if you defeat me in five minutes, then you win." He said, as Orchid went back to Arcadia and the others and joined them. "Brother..." Arcadia mumbled, watching as Mael started to fight with Zeldris. She was exhausted from fighting against Mael, and because she was lacking sleep, too. She looked up at Hendrickson and smiled softly as she spoke. "I'm so glad that you're alright." She said, as Orchid and Muriel looked at her. Hendrickson looked up at Mael as he kept fighting with Zeldris, before the demon in question launched himself at Merlin once more, but King saw this and used Chastiefol to create a barrier around everyone. "So that's the power of 'Sunshine' in its true owner, it's amazing!" Escanor exclaimed, causing Arcadia to smile over at him. "It's good to see that you're alright, my friend." She said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's over, Zeldris." Mael called, slicing at his back using his magic, before he watched as Zeldris fell to the ground, unconscious. King got rid of the barrier around everyone, and Merlin finished casting the spell, freezing the cocoon in time. "Did it really work?" Diane asked, causing Hendrickson to point to the top of the cocoon as he spoke. "Look, the bird flying over the cocoon is frozen mid flight!" He exclaimed, as Hawk transformed and flew over the cocoon. "Meliodas, hurry up and turn back to normal already! We're working very hard and we want you back!" The pig then froze as he saw the opening in the cocoon. "Huh?! It's empty!" He screeched, before everyone gazed in shock and horror as someone unfortunately familiar stepped out of the rubble and smiled, his now long hair going down to his waist, and his stature far different from before. However, his blond hair and green eyes were the same as ever. "So that's what the Demon King does to his vessels." Arcadia mused, before she watched Elizabeth walk slightly closer to him, astounded and shocked as she spoke.

"...Meliodas?"