renegade (seven deadly sins)

ACT TWO / rules and twists

<EDITED ON FEBRUARY 3>

(can you guys tell i'm trying to get everything out of the way so we can make room for holiday chapters/the new season three episodes--)

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You stared up at the top of the large boulder in the center. You couldn't make out specific features with the shadows cast over their faces, but you could see that one of the beings was surrounded by a writhing mess of green tentacles, while the other was enormous, with four arms and a cloth over his head. Their magical auras felt oddly familiar, despite your inability to see them.

"Now's your only chance to back out," Meliodas said. This was the most serious you had ever seen him, confirming your growing suspicions about who was in front of you. "They're from the Ten Commandments."

"Ladies and gentlemen of various races," the tentacle Commandment said, "welcome to this ultimate time killer...no, I mean the Great Fighting Festival! First, let's prepare the arena where you'll be fighting. Take it away, Drole."

Diane and the other Giant flinched. Their eyes were wide and their jaws were slightly agape.

Something clicked. Drole was the Giant King and founder of the Clan. What was he doing in a place like this, and with the Ten Commandments as well?

Drole moved his four hands in a complex series of motions that you recognized from watching Diane fight. He clasped his hands in front of him, palm to palm. "Gigant Gauntlet!"

He raised his top two hands toward the sky. Hawk squealed in terror as pillars of rock erupted from the ground around you. You realized that the pillars were shaped like fingers, with Drole and his companion standing on the center of the palms.

"Magnificent! This is the arena where you'll be battling! Since I'd like to get started right away, I'll be cutting off entrants now. I'm going to wipe out all those little worms still lurking in the maze, okay?"

The tentacles shifted and moved in a whirlwind around him.

"No way!" Harlequin exclaimed. He stared at the Commandment with horror. You flinched, seeing a blonde girl floating next to him that reminded you of Elaine. Had she been revived when Mama had come back to life as well? "The magical power emanating from that monster is definitely of the Fairy race! Not only that, it's so strong, it's mind-blowing! Is this..."

The Commandment gave you all a sinister grin that made his eyes glow. "Spirit spear Basquias, ninth configuration!" The tentacles morphed into long plant spires with thorns along the ends. "Death Thorn!"

Your eyes widened, both at the speed of his attacks and the large wings that made themselves known. Screams and the sounds of thorns piercing clothing and skin echoed from within the maze.

You also recognized him. He had been the one to give you and Mama sanctuary in the Fairy King's forest. He had saved you from the Demon Clan's wrath.

"Death Thorn is the thorns of terror that grow in the Sacred Tree's highest reaches and destroy any threat that Sunflower alone can't remove," Harlequin recited as he floated toward the arena. "N-Not only that, Basquias was the legendary spirit spear bestowed upon the first one chosen by the Sacred Tree! How can it be you...First Fairy King, Gloxinia?"

Gloxinia gave him an amused look. "Now that's a name I haven't heard in ages. Currently, I'm the Ten Commandments' Gloxinia of Repose."

"Weren't you defeated at the hands of the Demon King in that battle 3,000 years ago?"

Gloxinia hummed and turned to Harlequin. "Are you a member of the Fairy race, too?"

"Answer my question, please!"