The Nymph's Redemption: Acantha's Journey (7ds fanfiction)

Chapter Eight: Secrets to His Success

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Merlin had already gotten the information out of the masked mage, Vivian. The boar sin snapped her fingers and they were right in front of the king's bedroom. "I would have teleported us inside, but it seems there was a blocking spell keeping me from doing so." The woman said. Meliodas nodded. "Alright just give me a minute." He said and stretched his arm. Merlin stopped him in his tracks. "That's not possible. The spell is of demon magic, a perfect cube." She said and used absolute cancel on the door.

The group entered the room to see Elizabeth and King Bartra sitting together. The king looked weak and unable to get out of bed easily. As soon as Elizabeth layed eyes on Meliodas she rushed to embrace him. "We've been apart for only a few hours but it felt like forever..." She said. Meliodas returned the embrace and started to speak with Bartra. Acantha was slowly healing but it wasn't by much. She looked around the room and then outside to see the kingdom. Smoke coming from every building. She could only imagine what the people sounded like. The girl turned back to the group to see Merlin and Arthur teleporting away. After only a moment though, the castle started to collapse. Acantha felt the ground beneath her give out as they all fell. A hand grabbed onto her clothes though at the moment she couldn't tell who it was with all the dust.

When they landed on stable ground, she looked up and saw Meliodas carrying Elizabeth in one arm and holding onto Acantha's clothing with the other. He gently set the girls down, giving the nymph a moment to catch her senses. Gilthunder and Margaret met up with them before seeing Hendrickson and Vivian approach. Hendrickson looked different though. He had black demonic energy covering his body. Acantha quickly stood in a ready stance.

Hendrickson was first to attack. Gilthunder set his princess down and went to deflect the attack. When both the boys got knocked down, Acantha took that moment to try and go from behind but barely even blinked as she was suddenly on the floor with Hendrickson holding her down. Acantha was sent into a spiral of fear by this position. It was the same fear she feels in Ordan. "You should learn to keep your hands to yourself, nymph." He stated and broke one of the girl's arms. This caused her to scream in pain as fire burst from her and sent Hendrickson back. Multiple attacks were sent but none proved effective. Elizabeth and her sister were held back by Vivian and Meliodas and Gilthunder both got stabbed.

Elizabeth had enough and sacrificed herself no matter how much Meliodas begged for her to stop. Acantha was curled up on the hot stone ground watching them leave. She hissed in pain as she attempted to stand. Meliodas did manage to stand as Ban and Hawk came up. "Hey! Sorry, we're late!" The pig said. "Wow, Acantha you look like crap." He added. Meliodas looked at Ban. "Come on Ban we need to help Elizabeth! Hendrickson kidnapped her!" The blonde said. Ban was silent. Acantha watched the males exchange words before Ban straight up used his sacred weapon on the captain. Acantha gasped and went wide eyes. She was speechless. These men seemed inseparable, best friends and comrades.  She stumbled a bit and tried to get to them. Hawk was launched away from an attack and Acantha could only watch. "I can't let this happen. I can't... Lose... Them..." She muttered. Ban kept trying to attack Meliodas before the boy just looked up at him. "If it means saving your girlfriend just kill me." He said casually. The nymph was shocked. 'He's willing to throw away his life like that....?' She thought.

Ban was sketched out. "Are you sure you're not messing around?" He asked. Meliodas nodded. "Just go ahead." The blonde stated. Ban raised his weapon and was going to send it down before Meliodas headbutted him right in the jaw. Acantha had enough. This isn't the time. Or place! With any force in her body, she ran at Ban and punched him in the face, breaking his jaw further before running at Meliodas and kicking his stomach. "Will you cut it out!" She screamed, coughing a bit from the pain it brought. Both men were shocked and even Hawk cowered. "You're both acting like fools at a time like this! When Elizabeth is taken! When your comrades are busy fighting to save lives!" She teared up more from the pain of screaming her lungs out. "And now you're both acting stupidly!" She scolded harshly as blood dropped out of her mouth. She clutched her broken arm. "You're all the first people in years who have actually made me feel like I matter! Like I'm not just some face on a wanted poster for money!" She screamed even louder. The girl looked at Ban. "Elaine would never have forgiven you for trying to kill your best friend!" She fell to her knees weakly. "So stop acting like absolute idiots and focus on what's going on now!" She cried out, panting as she coughed up more blood.

The three were speechless mostly since they never heard Acantha be so loud and bold. Ban frowned. "I give in. I won't try killing you... Now." He said to Meliodas, going to Acantha and picking her up by the back of her dress. Meliodas chuckled. "Got it..." He said and collapsed. Hawk ran over and put the captain on his back. Ban looked at Acantha, who was barely even awake by this point. "You really need someone training you. Ya, look pitiful right now." He stated. Acantha just gave a thumbs-up as Hawk parted ways with Ban. The man tossed Acantha on his back and grabbed the injured Gilthunder. "Yo! Diane catch!" Ban yelled and threw Acantha at her as well as throwing Gilthunder at the monster she was fighting.

Acantha winced in pain as she landed in Diane's hand. "Hey be careful with just throwing people!" She scolded the fox sin. Ban rolled his eyes. "Glad I grabbed this in vaizel." He said boredly and activated it before throwing it at the injured people. A large green orb formed around them. "Eh probably shoulda used it on the captain. I'm sure he'll be fine." He said.

Diane looked at the healed-up Acantha. "You're doing so well Acantha. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit." She said. Acantha looked up at Diane and nodded. "Here rest on my shoulder and save your strength until we need it most." She said and put the girl on her shoulder. Acantha held onto Diane and took the time to rest. Ban helped Jericho and looked at the others. "Me and King will stay back and get rid of the New Generation. You all go help get Elizabeth." He said. They all nodded and started running to Hendrickson's laboratory. The Roars of Dawn met them on the way and stated how they were going to assist in killing off the demons.

When the remaining sins and their comrades got to where Elizabeth was, they seemed to arrive just in time. Hawk who carried an injured Elizabeth was about to get destroyed by demonic power. Diane managed to deflect it with her hammer and catch the pig. The sight of her hurt friend angered the giant as Hendrickson was slammed through the large mountain-like boulder holding the building. The grandmaster landed at the base where he was met face to face with the sins and holy knights.

Hendrickson was rather impressed. The sins one by one, minus Ban and Gowther, went down with their attacks. Ban only glanced away for a moment before getting knocked into the side of a rock. He saw it. The Red Demon. Ban got out and started his attack. "Tell me where you got the damn thing!" He demanded, using the demonic power-hungry man as a way to show the demon corpse off. Acantha, standing next to Gowther, saw the creature and felt her heart skip a beat. Gowther looked down at her. "You seem fearful of the corpse." He stated. Acantha was silent as Hendrickson explained how he got the corpse. Ban growled and slammed Hendrickson in the head so hard he went through the earth, leaving a huge hole. They all went to the edge of it before Gowther spoke up. "I sense a faint breeze. There must be a cave underneath." He said. Meliodas nodded. "Let's head down. Diane, you keep watching." He said as they all went into the hole.

Once they got down it was pitch black and King had to use his chastifol to create light. There was a trail of blood going on into the cavern and they followed. When they got to where Hendrickson was, he was standing in front of a gray demon corpse. Acantha could sense just how much power it gave off. This wasn't something anyone should mess with. Hendrickson took the demon's blood and injected it into his veins. He transformed into quite a literal monster. The once human-looking grandmaster looked more like the demon he wanted to become. Ban tried to attack but instead was killed.

Hendrickson looked at the others before blasting them to the surface. This caused Diane and anyone else who was above ground to get sent flying. Off in a field where Gilthunder and countless knights as Well as Hawk and the princesses were, they saw the blast as the sins and Acantha landed on the ground. Hendrickson arrived soon after and started his attack. Slader, a member of the Roars of Dawn, used his power to freeze Hendrickson and give everyone a chance to hit. The knights all did their best but it proved to do nothing. Not even a mark. "Alright. My turn." The demon said and created a snowfall of demonic magic that upon touch would kill someone instantly. Acantha could barely move after being blasted. Her body ached and her clothes were on their last threads. Meliodas tried to fight but even that didn't do anything. Meliodas quickly got overpowered along with the sins. Hendrickson created the dark snow and turned it into a ball of pure demonic power and sent it right at Meliodas.  "There's not a single soul to save you now." He said. "Oh, I think there is!" The voice of an all too familiar pig said.
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Word Count: 1761