Last One Standing (On Hold)

༄1.06༄

"This power..." Diane gasps. "Yeah, there's no doubt about it. A Holy Knight, aren't you?" Meliodas asks. "Gilthunder... Gilthunder, is that you? What are you up to? Why are you doing this?" Elizabeth asks. "You know him?" Seraphina asks. "Oh, yes. Since I was a little girl. When he was my father's attendant. As an aid to the King and son of the Holy Knights Grandmaster, he was always at the palace. So, I kinda grew up with him." Elizabeth shares. "The son of the Grand Master, huh?" Meliodas looks at the sky. "Hey, wait a minute. Are you Little Gil?" Meliodas asks. "What? You know him too?" Elizabeth asks. "Sure, I even gave him lessons occasionally when I find myself at the royal palace!" Meliodas shares. "Wow, you've really grown up! Then again. It has been ten years since I've seen you." He says. "If you have the time to prattle along this matter, it might be best spent trying to escape those bonds." Gilthunder tells him.

"Hey, this lightning's familiar..." Hawk says. "I know what you mean. When a certain someone blocked up Vanya's water supply and then tried to blow the village away, that was you, wasn't it?" Meliodas asks. "Sir Meliodas, that can't be! You're wrong! Gilthunder wouldn't..." Elizabeth tries defending her friend. "Elizabeth..." Seraphina motions to Gilthunder, who has a dead look on his face, and she gasps. "No." She takes a step back. "This can't hold me..." Diane attempts to break free from the restraints. "That's useless." Gilthunder says and the restraints get tighter. "Diane, just save it. Don't bother." Meliodas tells her. "Captain." Diane groans. Gilthunder appears behind Meliodas and places his sword on his shoulder. "Do you know why the Holy Knights are after the heads of the Seven Deadly Sins?" He asks. "Not really." Meliodas replies.

"Half of them are seeking revenge and total eradication of the rebel order that plotted to overthrow the kingdom. The other half want to do glorious battle and vanquish the legendary warriors to prove their own strength." Gilthunder shares. "And which half are you in?" Meliodas asks. "Both of them. No, I want more." Gilthunder replies. "Is that so?" Meliodas asks. "Yes. To avenge the death of my father, Zaratras, Holy Knights' Grand Master. And to show that I am even more greater than he, the most powerful Holy Knight ever known. Killing you will prove that." Gilthunder shares. "So, you're under the impression that I'm the one who murdered your father, is that it?" Meliodas asks. "Are you saying you're not?" Gilthunder asks. "No idea. See the thing is, I don't actually remember very much from back then." Meliodas shares. "Captain?" Diane mumbles. "Meliodas." Seraphina looks at him with a frown.

"The last thing I remember is all of us being summoned to the old castle out on the edge of town." Meliodas recalls what happened then. "Those words are the last thing I remember. The rest is blank. Then the next thing I knew, I was lying down in a cellar somewhere. That's when I met Hawk." Meliodas explains. "I knew it. You really weren't the ones who killed the Grand Master, were you?" Elizabeth asks. "That makes no difference to me." Gilthunder says. "What are you saying?" Seraphina asks. "Rebels and traitors who plotted to overthrow the kingdom. That's all you people are." Gilthunder tells them. "Enough, you must stop this! Didn't you hear what he just told you? They aren't the ones who murdered him! Don't you understand?" Elizabeth asks. "Elizabeth." Gilthunder looks back at the princess and also sees Seraphina, his eyes widen a bit and he looks between both of them as he continues speaking.

"The kingdom wants you taken into protective custody. But I haven't the slightest interest in that." Gilthunder removes his sword from Meliodas' shoulder and points it at the girls. "Alive or dead, it's all the same. To me, you are no more than a grain of sand on the road that is being traveled." He says and releases their restraints. "Go away. The Sins and I have unfinished business." Gilthunder tells her. Elizabeth glares at him and stands in front of Meliodas and Diane with her arms spread out. "I won't let you hurt these people!" She tells him. Seraphina stands in front of her as protection. Hawk groans and crawls over to Gilthunder. "It's over for me. I feel numb like I've been electrocuted." He whimpers and Gilthunder kicks him further into the forest.

"Hawk, no!" Elizabeth yells and runs after him but Seraphina stays. "Aren't you going to chase after them, too?" Gilthunder asks, turning back to Seraphina. "They'll be fine." Seraphina says, taking a few steps back as Gilthunder walks up to her. "Stand back, Sera." Meliodas tells her. "But--" "I'll be fine." Meliodas cuts her off. "If you say so." Seraphina sighs and stands beside Diane. "Are you sure about this?" Meliodas asks Gilthunder. "In the old days, you were never able to beat me, remember?" He reminds him. "But that was a long time ago. I am now more powerful than any of the Seven Deadly Sins." He claims leaning down to Meliodas' height. "I don't know, maybe you're right, but you could be wrong too," Meliodas tells him. "Then we should find out. First, I'll release your bonds." Gilthunder suggests.

"Well, I appreciate that, but I got it," Meliodas replies as he and Diane easily break out of their restraints. "Could've escaped whenever we felt like it." Meliodas states. "Just know if I felt like it, I could annihilate you instantly," Gil claims. "Mm... Kinda doubt that." Meliodas dismisses. "I shall use my sword to kill you." Gil informs him. "Right back at you big guy." Meliodas responds. "Don't interfere. All right Diane, Sera." Meliodas tells the two females. "Aw, you get all the fun." Diane whines. "Okay." Seraphina replies. "Don't want to risk my defeating you both at once?" Gilthunder asks getting into a fighting stance. Gilthunder and Meliodas get back into a fighting stance glaring at each other. "Can't you tell when your elder is trying to be nice?" Meliodas asks the boy, they both glare at each other and Meliodas pulls out his sword while Gilthunder summons lightning striking Meliodas who uses 'Full Counter'.

"Like I said, right back at ya, remember that?" Meliodas asks the boy who was pushed back. "And I told you..." Gilthunder appears behind Meliodas. "...you'll be dead." He swings his sword at Meliodas who sheathes his sword and flips over the sword. "Come on!" Gilthunder yells attacking Meliodas who dodges every attack. "Gotta admit, you've really improved over the years." Meliodas tells the pink-haired boy when he lands on a boulder. "Yet you still believe that you're superior to me." Gilthunder says, lunging at Meliodas who blocks his attack with his sword. "I can sense it, you're beginning to feel a little fear creeping in." Gilthunder claims. "Am I?" Meliodas asks and the boulder breaks underneath. They both jump in the air and continue attacking each other. "Well, you're persistent." Meliodas says landing by a tiny hill dodging Gilthunder's attack which breaks the hill.

Gilthunder throws lightning at Meliodas who deflects it and narrowly dodges the next attack thrown his way by jumping although he did get hit by the lightning. "Too slow!" Gilthunder shouts appearing above Meliodas striking him, sending the blonde hurtling to the ground with a loud 'BOOM'. Meliodas groans then chuckles getting up. "I can't believe that gotten this powerful." He says. "Don't worry, I'll bring the others down with you soon enough." Gilthunder tells him from behind, he then slashes him across the shoulder causing blood to spray out from the wound and the blonde to faceplant onto the floor. "Captain?" Diane questions looking at the fallen blonde. "Meliodas?" Seraphina covers her mouth and her eyes widen. Gilthunder turned Meliodas over with his foot.

"Meliodas, the Seven Deadly Sins, Dragon Sin of Wrath. Do you have any last words?" He asks, Meliodas looks at the boy with dull eyes. "The sins. What happened to them? You must've heard something, right? Where have the other ones gone?" Meliodas asks. "Very well, I'll tell you. Of the remaining five, three of them are still at large and are not yet accounted for, but the other two have been dealt with." Gilthunder informs, putting his sword back in its sheathed. "The Fox of Greed is being kept under tight security at Baste Prison. The Grizzly Sin of Sloth has already been slain and is interred in the Necropolis. But you needn't worry, I'll make sure they all join you shortly." Gilthunder shares. "Thank you." Meliodas says closing his eyes. "Awesome!" The blonde shouts flipping himself upright. "Little Gil." He addresses the knight who just stares at him.