There Is No Darkness Without Light

Chapter 17

Meliodas waited in Elizabeth's house as she went to the Council. He didn't want to leave without saying Goodbye. He wandered around the place before he sat on the sofa. He ran his hands over his head. He was the so-called Prince of Darkness. Next in line to be Demon King, Yet he was, Falling for a Goddess. He loves her fiercely. It was frightening at first when he realized the extent of this. She is his weak spot, and he knows this. After a month of knowing her, He fell for her so quickly it makes his hearts ache. He couldn't say which one ached as they all pretty much did the same job. He meant every word he said at the Tavern. In the mind of Meliodas, Elizabeth was so selfless and ready to lend a hand. She has a certain spark about her that he hopes won't be stripped away from her. Ever. She's too good. So good it makes half his hearts ache.

He still remembers what it felt like the first time she said his name. Not a luxury many would have, or in fact, even be comfortable with. There was an intimacy to it, especially with the way she said it. Oh, but he loved the way she looked at him. Never with fear or disgust. At first, It was a mild curiosity. The last four weeks have turned out to be weirder than he'd ever imagined. But definitely a good weird? The loss she carried every day wasn't something he could even begin to imagine. The first time Meliodas had to kill a Goddess after they met, Meliodas felt a weird feeling in one of his hearts. Was this fear? Dread? Guilt? He couldn't understand it. The night before they met for the second time, he had a nightmare. One where he held Elizabeth's lifeless body. It broke his heart to see that. But she made him smile. He closed his eyes and was about to go for a nap when he heard that voice that made him want to hurl.
"Now hear this, All members of The 10 Commandments. This order is to take over priority over anything you are currently doing. Assemble at the castle!" Meliodas rolled his eyes as he heard his Father speak.
"Why the fuck should I go?" Meliodas grumbled. The urge to join Elizabeth at Stigma is getting more and more tempting. Meliodas closed his eyes and activated his smaller mark. This mark is on the same level as a standard Goddess so he shouldn't get detected "Father, I'm busy in the Goddess realm. Bugger off!"
"Why are you there?"
"Annoying the Goddesses. Why else?" Meliodas shrugged his shoulders.
"Return to the Castle. Now. Zeldris is missing. He was last seen in your area"
"Oh look at you being the doting Father" Meliodas sighed "I'll search around this area. I ain't flying back to Ravens, Just to fly back here" Meliodas turned his mark off and put his arms behind his back "Zeldris will be fine. I'll look for him when Elizabeth gets back"

An hour later. Elizabeth walked through the door. Emerald and Sapphire's eye's met. Meliodas's face melted as soon as he saw his Goddess. Elizabeth strolled over to him and the two embraced.
"I thought you were going to leave while I was at the Council" Elizabeth hid her face in Meliodas's hair.
"I wanted to say Goodbye" Meliodas mumbled "Plus, I can't exactly leave. My Father's called me and said that my brother is missing?"
"Your Brother?"
"Yeah. His name is Zeldris. Or better known as The Demon King's executioner. He was last seen near here and I have to look for him" Meliodas's shrugged. Elizabeth pulled away. She had a strange look on her face "What?"
"The Council mentioned him. He beat one of our task forces this morning" Elizabeth gulped. Meliodas put his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders.
"Which task force?" His mark appears. Elizabeth knew that this meant he was worried. Meliodas would never hurt Elizabeth.
"Delta" Delta was the toughest Goddess task force out there. A single soldier could go toe to toe with about 5 Orange Demons "They are also thinking of sending task force Echo and Foxtrot as They haven't found Zeldris yet. He's apparently left the field"
"I need to go find him" Meliodas mumbled as he walked to the door. He put his hand on the handle and his head turned to the left "See you later"
"When will I get to see you again?" Elizabeth hugged herself.
"Soon" Meliodas turned back to Elizabeth and pulled her into a tight embrace "I promise"
"I love you" Elizabeth muttered as she sniffed Meliodas's hair. Meliodas smirked as he squeezed Elizabeth's bum. Earning a squeak as his reward.
"I love you too" Meliodas went back to the door and looked around before running up the street. Elizabeth stumbled over her feet as she went to the door. She was tempted to walk out her door and follow him. But she knew better. Besides, There was still a slim chance that Mael could walk past. Elizabeth closed the door behind her and locked it. She slunk against the wood and wrapped her arms around herself.

Several hours had passed and Meliodas was still looking for Zeldris. He cupped his hands over his mouth.
"ZELDRIS!!" Meliodas scanned the area. All that could be heard was the tweeting of a bird. Meliodas flew closer to the ground. He bolted over to a thistle patch. he saw that there were flecks of blood splattered all over the place "ZELDRIS!" He called out once more. There was a loud rustling sound of undergrowth as someone was limping in the shadows.
"Meliodas?" The voice sounded so weak to Meliodas. It was familiar but muffled. Meliodas spun around on the spot. He couldn't quite place the voice, since it echoed around the place every time he heard it. The voice called out again. It sounded stronger.
"Zeldris!" Meliodas rushed forward, Pushing branches out of his way.
"Yeah, It's me" Zeldris gasped, cringing as pain washed over him. He collapsed to his knees. Meliodas barely caught Zeldris as he fell to the floor.
"Zel, What, In the name of hell happened to you?" Meliodas asked.
"I might have got my arse handed to me" Zeldris managed, forcing the words over his blood-stained lips.
"Come on. Let's get you back to the castle"
"I'm fine" Zeldris groaned "Leave me here. I will heal in a bit"
"Will you hell" Meliodas scoffed as he knelt next to Zeldris "Wrap your arm over my shoulders. Need to get you home"
"I said I am fine" Zeldris tried to protest, weakly lifting a hand and flapping at Meliodas's arms.
"I ain't listening. Now move your arse!" Meliodas demanded. He stood up and held his hand out. Zeldris stared at it before grabbing it "So why did you get your arse handed to you?" Meliodas lifted Zeldris to his feet.
"Routine search and destroy. Only I could run into The Delta task force" Zeldris stumbled a little bit "Fuck, My ribs hurt"
"You're lucky. I heard that the Goddesses were thinking of sending task forces Echo and Foxtrot"
"Just for little old me" Zeldris scoffed "Didn't know I was that much of a threat"
"Please, My pinky has more of a threat than you" Meliodas dismissed the comment. Zeldris stumbled and yelped in pain "You better hope we don't run into anybody that we have to fight" Meliodas growled "I don't want to have to save your ass again"
"Hey! As long as I can stand, I can fight"
"In your current state. You wouldn't last two seconds against a pig" Meliodas huffed.
"Fuck off" Zeldris scoffed "I ain't got any mana left to fly"
"Looks like I will have to carry you home"
"I'll be fine"
"You wanna do this by yourself?" Meliodas snapped at his little Brother. Zeldris was gonna complain but he had to accept the truth "It's a good 3-hour walk through this neck of the woods"
"No" He couldn't walk without help. Meliodas looked at his Brother as Zeldris glanced away in defeat.
"Thought so. Now shut up and move it"

The brothers walked for a little while. The pair only had to stop now and then so Meliodas could catch his breath.
"How you holding up" Zeldris finally spoke.
"Since when do you care?" Meliodas grunted. Zeldris's mouth flapped open "Either talk or quit looking like a fish"
"How did you know I was here?" Zeldris pressed his hand against his ribs.
"Father summoned the Commandments to find you. I didn't go back as I was in the area"
"Doing what?" Zeldris frowned.
"Annoying the Goddesses" Meliodas grunted as he lifted Zeldris over a fallen log.
"Is that how you are healed?"
"Hell no. After avoiding the flame boy and a major crash landing. I turned my mark off and went over to the nearest Druid town. Made out that I was just attacked by the Demons" Meliodas said nonchalantly "I was hardly lying but not quite telling the truth"
"And they fell for it? Are they thick?" Zeldris chuckled. He instantly regretted it "Been a while since I broke a rib"
"You should have flown away. Even I don't go up against the Delta team" Meliodas sighed. his head shot up. He curses as he pushed Zeldris behind a tree.
"Aww fuck. What the hell -" Meliodas covered Zeldris's mouth with his hand. Meliodas put a finger to his lips and pointed upwards. A group of Fairies were floating mid-air.
"Shut up. Turn your mark off" Meliodas ordered "And try to move quietly"
"You move quietly!" Zeldris mocked. Zeldris and Meliodas both removed their marks "I didn't know we have the same eye colour"
"I said be quiet! If you can't do that then I will leave you to them!" Meliodas hissed. He wanted to talk to his brother but he couldn't risk getting spotted. Not with Zeldris in the state he was in. Meliodas kept one eye on the Fairies as they made their way through the thorns.

It had been just over an hour and Meliodas and Zeldris were still in the forest. Zeldris was struggling and The Fairies from earlier were still flying around. It had also started to rain and there was a storm coming. Zeldris whimpered as the water touched his skin. Meliodas laid Zeldris up against a tree and wiped his face.
"We need to find shelter before the storm hits" Meliodas looked around. He clicked his tongue.
"What about that cave over there?" Zeldris pointed to the cliffs.
"Okay, We have 20 minutes till the storm hits. Let's move" Meliodas assisted his Brother once more as they made their way to the cliffs.