Now and Forever

Chapter 16

As Hawk looked up, he saw Meliodas slowly coming back down the stairs and immediately noticed his unnaturally calm demeanor and blank expression.

"H-how is she?"

"She's gone."

"W-what do you mean she's gone?"

"I mean she is FUCKING GONE!" he yelled, his calm demeanor shattering as a black mist began to curl off of his body.

At the sound of his raised voice, the other Sins came rushing over.

"What the hell is going on?" Ban said as he took in the Captain's appearance with wide eyes.

"I went up to check on Elizabeth and the balcony is empty except for her broken cup of tea and some blood" he told them as he quickly began pacing back and forth, leaving a trail of the curling black mist in his wake "and she's gone!" He stopped his pacing and was quiet for a moment, "I'm going after her."

"Captain, stop" said Ban, "I want her back as much as anyone but we don't know who took her or where they are. Right now, you need to get your power back…then we can find her. Who knows what we'll have to face!"

"I can't believe I'm actually going to say this but…I agree with Ban" said Diane. "Get your power back and then we'll make them pay" she finished with a snarl.

"Alright" Ban interrupted as he took control of the situation "we continue with the plan. In the meantime, let's all get outside and start training. No one takes our Princess!"

As everyone else went outside, Meliodas grabbed some ale and sat down at a table. It took every ounce of control he had to just pour the frothing amber liquid into his cup while not crushing the bottle into dust.

"Aren't you coming Captain?" said Ban as he popped his head back into the room.

"I don't want to hurt any of you by accident " he replied quietly as he stared at the table. Ban just stood back, watching him and waiting. "SON OF A BITCH" Meliodas suddenly screamed as his frustration boiled over and he threw the empty bottle, shattering it against the bar, quickly followed by the table. He sank to his knees and drained the cup in one large gulp. "I'm going to killthem when I find them" he whispered roughly.

"I know" Ban said as he came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "and we'll help you."

"If anything happens to her…"

"Hey, I know I don't need to remind you but she's a lot tougher than she looks and she's got that whole freaky healing thing going on; she'll be ok. Master already told his mom so she's picked up the pace…we should be there in a few hours. We'll be outside if you change your mind about training" he said as he walked back to the door.

"Ban…" The Fox Sin paused and looked back as he placed his hand on the door handle. His Captain hadn't moved or even looked up from the floor. "Thanks."

"Anytime Captain" he grinned, "you'd do the same for us."

…

"I wouldn't be looking so smug, if I were you" she muttered savagely as he passed close to her.

"And I wouldn't be quite so hopeful, if Iwere you" he laughed.

She watched as he removed the sheet from an old mirror paneled wall.Mirrored wall? she thought. Suddenly realizing that she had no idea where she was, Elizabeth began to take a closer look around. As far as she could tell, they were in some sort of abandoned manor home. The plaster was slowly falling off in moist clumps and the once colorful and elegant wallpaper was peeling from the walls in long ragged strips. What must have, at one time, been a stunning ballroom had been reduced to a mere shadow if its former self; the sun shone through the broken stained glass windows, glinting off of the tarnished brass and dirty crystal of the large chandeliers. Nature had obviously started taking back the old house a long time ago, as the ceiling had collapsed in some parts and bright green vines grew, slowly taking the place of the rotting blue velvet curtains and there was thick green moss growing between the jagged cracks and overtop of the once polished creamy alabaster floor.