The Eighth Sin

Episode 14.5 - The First Battle

There was a time before the Sins, a time where no one suspected the Holy Knights of corruption that only some remember. A time when no one would've questioned a Holy Knight of killing the Grandmaster. A time when all believed that the Holy Knights were loyal protectors of the land. And during that time trouble brewed and broiled beneath the surface of this calm, visible only to those who were willing to see unrest. It was during this time that the wise prophet and King of Brittania decided to assemble the strongest fighters of the land to protect his kingdom. 

"So you were assigned to assemble this team?" Y/N asked while stirring the pot of stew that she made. Meliodas nodded. "Okay. And remind me again why I'm a part of this team? To be the supreme cook?" 

Meliodas laughed, pausing his search for something in his bag. "Although we are currently looking for a supreme cook to join, that's not the position you'll be filling."

"Are you sure? I haven't given you any indication that I have any abilities besides cooking." Y/N said, throwing a bit of paprika into the pot. 

"Well, you were a Holy Knight so I'm assuming that you have some power." Meliodas replied absent mindedly.

"I could've bribed the Grandmaster with my stew."  

"Well, that would have to be a pretty amazing stew."  

"My stew is that amazing, I assure you. I'd bet my life on it."

"That's a bold statement."

"I'm a confident person when it comes to my stew."

"I don't think that I've ever had a conversation this interesting about stew." Meliodas said, looking up from his bag.

"Then you've obviously been missing out." Y/N replied, looking up as well. "Stew makes almost as excellent a conversational topic as it does a meal."

"I also don't think I've ever met someone who thinks that that stew can even be considered a conversational topic." Meliodas thought for a minute. "Or someone who would bet their life on their stew making abilities." 

"Then you've never met a good cook." Y/N said, stepping away from the stew and sitting down next to Meliodas on the tree they knocked over. 

"Not even one?"

"A good cook never hesitates to bet their life on their food."

Their banter was broken when they heard a loud crash on the road. The Holy Knights sprang up and ran towards it. When they got on the road there was nothing wrong, except for the obvious lack of anything. Y/N and Meliodas looked around skeptically since they both knew from experience that whenever there wasn't anything out of place when there should be, something is definitely  out of place. 

Suddenly, Meliodas remembered Y/N telling him, "Look at the tree that behind you, the one with the purple leaves." He couldn't recall why she would've told him something like that, or when she would've had the chance to since they didn't pass any purple trees on their way, but he hesitantly turned around. There was, indeed a purple tree behind him. Meliodas tilted his head and opened his mouth to ask Y/N if there was a tree with purple leaves when they first decided to make camp here, but closed it when he remembered that Y/N had told him to not say anything about it.

A moment later, he realized that all of the pebbles on the ground had turned a rather unusual shade of pink. These were all signs of a weak illusionist casting a large illusion. When they aren't skilled enough to cover up all that they were trying to, some small things aren't covered well. Sometimes it's just the wrong color, sometimes the wrong shape or texture.