A Hunt for the King ~Nanatsu No Taizai~

Reach Into the Darkness

Adelina laid, curled into a bawl on the floor of the deep pit of her mind.

Out in the real world, the fight with Hendrickson had seemingly ended and the third princess of Liones was revealed as an apostle of the goddesses.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Elizabeth asked worriedly as she cuddled a tiny Hawk to her chest.

A silver light shot into the neck of the sleeping fairy, whise head rested in the lap of her king.

"It's quite simple really." Gowther said plainly as he adjusted his glasses. "She is losing a battle with herself. It seems as though she has held onto all the guilt and pain from causing the deaths of numerous people."

He screwed his eyebrows together looking down in confusion. "I do not understand. Is it supposed to cause so much pain? Interesting. I made a correct decision in not sending her mind into a blank world. Now she can learn from her mis-"

Gowther's body flew back roughly. Ban stood straight and dropped his fist back to his side. "You think this is a joke you fucking bastard? Some science experiment? Do you understand what she's gone through?!" He shouted at him.

Ban stalked towards his fellow sin, his magic aura pulsating a dangerous energy as everyone felt their own power and energy fade.

"Ban stop it." Ban froze and whipped around to glare at King. "Are you kidding me King? After what he did to Adelina?"

"And if you kill him how will we get her out of it?" King mumbled looking up at him with pleading eyes. Ban's shoulders sagged and he reached down and pulled Gowther up by the neck of his shirt.

"You're going to fix this. Right now."

"And why? What will be beneficial to Advisor Adelina if I interfere in her "healing process". Won't that provide a crutch? Won't that make her weaker?" He asked out of genuine curiosity.

Everyone looked at him appalled. "Sir Gowther.." Elizabeth spoke up walking forward. Her tone saturated with disappointment. "Not all rough times are meant to be suffered through alone."

Her eyes began to water slightly with tears. "Sometimes you need a support system. Someone to be there for you." Her eyes wandered to Meliodas who was looking at Adelina with hard eyes.

She blinked and snapped her eyes back to Gowther, feeling a sense of fire ignite in her soul. "It doesn't make you weak! Having someone there for you, having a family there for you make you stronger!"

"And- and I am Adelina's family! So..so you help wake her up right now so we can tell her and show her that it isn't her fault that she lost so many loved ones! So we can help heal her! Adelina isn't weak! She is stronger than anyone I have ever met!"

Elizabeth dropped to her knees crying and held her hands to her chest.

"She's even stronger than Sir Meliodas and all of you Seven Deadly Sins!"

Everyone shielded their eyes as a harsh light burst from the crying Princess.

"Not all rough times.."

"...suffered through alone."

"...family"

"...make...stronger.."

Adelina slowly picked up her head, her eyes dull and lifeless. She pressed her hands to the ground and slowly pushed her body up until she was sitting.

"P-princess?" She spoke with a hoarse voice.

"Simply a future victim." Adelina winced as Helbram's voice pierced her ears. She scrambled back from where she heard his voice through the darkness and covered her ears.