renegade (seven deadly sins)

ACT ONE / a tense conclusion

<EDITED ON JANUARY 31>

note: this isn't the conclusion of the novel, per say, but it is the conclusion of the fighting festival arc. :)

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Ban groaned from beside you. You took a knee next to him, grabbed a Spell Bead, and threw it down on the ground. He let out another groan as his body knitted itself back together.

"Glad to know you wouldn't leave me for dead," he said, his tone as dry as sand. You couldn't muster up the humor to make a snappy comeback. The look in his eyes was unnerving; he looked equal parts terrified and disbelieving, and he couldn't tear his gaze from the distant blur that was Meliodas.

"What is happening?" you demanded. "Why is he like that?"

"I don't know," he said. "But it's not good. Come on."

He walked over to Elizabeth and Hawk. You inhaled sharply, seeing Harlequin laying on the floor with a still-bleeding gash across his chest. He almost looked lifeless and you feared the worst. However, when you got closer, you could see his chest stuttering with shallow breaths.

"Thank God." You gathered him into your arms and grabbed Chastiefol. Elizabeth and Hawk stared in shock at Meliodas, who had been slammed into the side of the mountain by a Holy Knight you'd never seen before. He wore full gold armor and a purple cloak, and he floated in the air as he approached an unconscious Meliodas.

"Sir Meliodas," Elizabeth whimpered. "Sir Meli--"

Ban covered Elizabeth's mouth with his hand. "Quiet," he ordered in a whisper. "You two can still run, right?" He let go as you landed next to them. "This is seriously messed up."

Elizabeth put her hand on her chest. "Wait, surely you don't mean to abandon Sir Meliodas--"

Ban clicked his tongue, grabbed Elizabeth, slung her over his shoulder, and started running as fast as he could. Hawk trotted along after him, and you secured Harlequin in your arms before taking flight.

"P-Put me down!" Elizabeth demanded, her voice bouncing from the speed at which Ban was running. You couldn't help but look over your shoulder occasionally, both concerned for Meliodas' safety and sickened by what was happening.

"I'll be happy to once we're in the clear!" Ban snapped back.

"I've never seen Ban this freaked out before," Hawk said. You nodded, keeping a hand on Harlequin's chest to staunch the bleeding. His faint heartbeat thrummed under your fingertips. He is not dead, you repeated in your head, as though the mantra would keep him alive.

Diane's voice echoed menacingly behind you. Although it wasn't directed at you, you now understood what it was like to be terrified of a Giant, and that encouraged you to fly even faster.

The ground visibly trembled beneath you. Ban and Hawk stumbled, and Ban looked over his shoulder. "Shit, here it comes!" he warned.

"What--?"

Your question was quickly answered as the earth sprung up in a wave, individual shards of rock threatening to pierce you if you weren't careful. You didn't dare look back, instead keeping your pace and focusing on the horizon.

"What the hell?" Hawk shouted, speeding up. "What the hell?!"

"Stop talking, just move those trotters!" Ban had to raise his voice to be heard over Diane's attack.

Although the shards of rock stopped flying so quickly, the ground still rumbled and a large shadow covered the surrounding area. Curiosity won you over, and you chanced a look over your shoulder. If you had been on the ground, you knew you would have tripped from the shock.