Oneshots!

#69 Darkened Powers But Never Heart. (Finale of series.)

"This is it up ahead! We're almost to the top."

Feeling stirred on by his words as Elizabeth's wings and arms burned heavily from exhaustion and overuse, the girl forced herself to use one last burst to the top as she collapsed when getting there, King slightly behind as he went a little slower, his wings not as strong as hers.

Trying her best to catch her breath, the girl looked up from the cool ground beneath her and smiled as she saw the scroll just where Meliodas said it would be.

"K-King! Th-There it is! The scroll! We did it everyone! We.."

She looked behind her and felt her heart leap in fear as she saw King holding his sword to Meliodas's throat. The blond's own weapon still sheathed and put away as a confused look was on his face.

"Elizabeth, take the scroll and run."

"King.. w-what are you doing?!"

Her question seemed entirely justified at the moment in her eyes, however King didn't seem to think so.

"Don't you see it Elizabeth?! That look in his eyes. I pushed the feeling down, convinced myself I was being overprotective and paranoid... but seeing it now? I know now for certain that the Meliodas we knew is not that thing. His eyes are cold... lifeless even. This monster is not Meliodas."

"King, you're not thinking straight! If he was trying to trick us, why did he help us find this item? Why did he help us so much when he had every opportunity to leave us!?"

"That part stumped me too, believe me. I even started to believe that maybe there was good in him. That maybe he really was still the same. But then it all clicked. Every part of this he could have easily done himself except for one... flying."

Letting his words sink in, Elizabeth felt her heart drop slightly as she realized he was right.

"O-Okay, but even so.. he still could have made the trip, it just would've taken longer."

"You're right, he could've made the trip. But with how many days of walking it is, it would be so much easier to manipulate some old friends into helping."

"But that's crazy! He's done nothing to make us not trust him. Besides, I've been spending time with him for three months, if that really all was to save a few days on a trip, that would be foolish!"

"I know it's hard to believe, and I know how much you don't want to believe it... but you have to trust me Elizabeth. I have a bad feeling in my gut and I've learned to trust it."

"B-But.. I-I-I..."

"Ellie, look at me. Do you really think after everything we've been through together, that I'd use you like that? I know you trust him because he's your friend, but King isn't stable. This is one of the enchantments cast here. It increases paranoia and turns people against each other! We're so close to getting that scroll Ellie, all you have to do is grab it, hand it to me, and we can leave. As soon as we get out of here the spell will wear off, but I need you to make the right choice."

"Oh cut the crap demon! You're just saying that to trick her!"

"Yeah like I picked berries and hunted fish for you guys to "trick you" or how I guided you all this way without doing anything to warrant this behavior other than simply being a demon!? Think Ellie! Who has been right more often, me? Or him?"

Feeling stuck as both looked at her hopefully, she felt anguish as once again she was alone. Only this time to make potentially the most important decision of the realms.

"I-I.. um.."

Backing up until she hit the little tower the scroll sat delicately at the top of.. she picked it up and looked between the two and didn't know which decision to make. One told her to run with it, and the other wanted her to trust him by handing it to him.