Ban l My Lily [On Hold]

Chapter 26 l Elizabeth

Calla, unlike the other Sins, hadn't gotten very close to Hawk in the small time she had known the small boar, but as she watched the Dead End attack draw closer, it hit her hard. The smoke began to clear and the little earring Hawk wore—it had Star Boar engraved on it—clattered to the ground, a blackened version of the pig standing still. Elizabeth pushed away from Meliodas, stumbling over on weak legs. She collapsed next to Hawk, hugging him.

"To think that you'd be saved by some lowly livestock." Hendrickson said. "What terrible luck." Meliodas' face darkened.

"Terrible luck?" He echoed.

"Hawk," Elizabeth whispered. "Wake up...Talk to me like you always do...No...You can't just leave us like this." She bowed over the boar, screaming with grief. Ban slammed his arm down.

"You...Killed master. He was just a good natured pig." Tears streamed down his cheeks and Calla had to fight back her own. "You fucking bastard!!"

"Nothing will save you now." Hendrickson remarked.

"Hendrickson, you've really pissed me off!" Meliodas snapped. But before he could continued, light exploded skyward. Hendrickson went flying, skidding across the ground. Flecks broke off of his arm as he stood back up.

"This despicable power...Could it be?" He inquired. Gilthunder pushed himself up some.

"What is this light? Is...this the afterlife?" He asked.

"No," a voice spoke. His head snapped back to look at Margaret. "Something like this has happened before." She continued. "But they were nothing compared to what is happening now." Calla looked down, feeling her earlier exhaustion melt away. She then ran her hands across the newly sprouted flowers, her mouth parted in surprise. "She doesn't realize it, but she harbors incredible power within herself. It's awakened, the blood of the druid mediums that flows through her." Calla's eyes followed everyone's line of sight and sucked in a breath. "The apostle of the Goddesses!" Elizabeth stood tall, her face still wet with tears. Her hair floated around her angelically and Calla could make out a small outline of wings behind the princess. But that wasn't what grabbed her attention, it was her eyes. Her left stayed the same royal blue, and the other was a bright orange with a white symbol in the middle. Around her glowed a yellow, welcoming light.

"What's going on with Elizabeth's right eye?" Diane inquired. King held his wounded right arm in his hand, shifting to his feet.

"I've never felt a power like this before..." He murmured.

"You sure have awakened a troublesome power." Hendrickson remarked. "Apostle of the Goddesses."

"I'm so sad, Hendrickson." Elizabeth said. "My father had the utmost faith in you. He believed that you'd be able to carry the role of the previous Great Holy Knight, Zaratras who died a gruesome, untimely death. You were more gentle and kind than anyone else...The other Holy Knights all trusted you!" More tears escaped her eyes. "What happened to you? When did you lose your way? Hurting countless people ands betraying the Holy Knights who trusted you, didn't realize everything they thought they knew was a lie...You took Hawk's life...What is it that you long for would make you do all these things?" She asked.

"The resurrection of our Demon Clan and the destruction of the four clans that sealed us. In order to break the seal, your blood, the blood of the Apostle of the Goddesses is required." He lifted his arms, readying for another attack.

"Please...Stop." Elizabeth begged.

"Dark Nebula!" Purple and black surrounded Hendrickson, heading outwards.

"Please don't hurt anyone anymore!!" Elizabeth screamed. Golden light exploded from her body, pushing against the purple. It overpowered Hendrickson's attack with ease and pushed against him. Calla watched as the wounded knights began to heal before she started heading towards Elizabeth. As the yellow light began to dim, Elizabeth looked around. "Everyone...? Weren't you all terribly hurt?" She inquired.

"Elizabeth, do you not realize what's going on?" Diane asked. She looked around, watching as knights sat up, former wounds erased. A hopeful looked filled her eyes.

"Maybe Hawk's..." She trailed off, seeing Hawk still laying still in the newly bloomed flowers. "Hawk...Why. Why?" More tears slid down her cheeks before she started leaned, unstable. Meliodas caught her against him before Margaret ran over, taking Elizabeth into her care. They all looked over, watching as Hendrickson approached, skin covered with crack marks and the lone burn.

"Impudent little girl." He started. "I should have killed her and taken her blood sooner." He clicked his tongue annoyedly.

"Even if our bodies are back to full health, the situation still hasn't changed at all." Slater remarked.

"We can't win against a monster like that." Someone cried.

"Tha...That's right!" Another agreed. Gilthunder picked up his blade, crackling with energy.

"Don't give up!" He ordered.

"Sir...But no matter how you look at it, it's impossible!" A knight said. Gilthunder did not respond, but sweat gathered on his brow. Hendrickson smirked and Gilthunder paled before the demon came flying towards him. A boot met his face before he would hit the Holy Knight and Meliodas landed in front of him. Hendrickson rolled across the ground and before he could stand tall again, Meliodas delivered a swift blow to his upper half. Hendrickson looked down at the dent in his chest as the other knights gaped.

"Don't give up." Meliodas said. "You have us, the Seven Deadly Sins!" Meliodas looked back at Calla before nodding. Her lips parted in surprise, a warm feeling in her chest before sidling next to Ban, swords readied. Hendi was going down.