V: The Sin in The Sleeping Forest [2]
Nixie P.O.V

"This power. . ." Diane muttered as Gilthunder approached.

"Yeah, there's no doubt about it. Holy Knight, aren't you?" Meliodas asked him casually as I struggled in my bindings.

"Gil. . .thunder? Gilthunder, is that you?! What are you up to? Why are you doing this?" Eli demanded.

"You know him?" Meliodas asked.

"Ever since I was a little girl, when he was my father's attendant. As an aid to the King and son of the Holy Knights' Grand Master, he was always at the palace. So I. . .I kinda grew up with him," Eli explained to Meliodas.

"So, you're his wife?" Meliodas then turned to me.

"No! I'd never marry him! He's like a little brother to me. . ." I trailed off, trying making direct eye contact with Gilthunder.

But he refused to look at me.

"Gilthunder, please don't do this," I begged, but he didn't listen to me.

Please don't make me hurt you, Gil.

"The son of the Grand Master, huh? Hey! Wait a minute, are you little Gil?" Meliodas grinned.

"What? You know him too?" Eli asked, surprise in her tone.

"Sure! I even gave him lessons occasionally when I'd find myself at the royal palace! Wow, you've really grown up! Then again, it has been ten years since I've seen you," Meliodas chuckled.

"If you have the time to prattle on like this, perhaps you should spend it thinking about how you'll escape those bonds," Gilthunder spoke darkly towards us.

"You were the one to block out that villages' water supply, weren't you?" Meliodas asked out of the blue.

"Sir Meliodas, that can't be! You're wrong! Gilthunder wouldn't-!"

Eli stopped herself when she saw the darkness and hatred that filled his eyes.

"No. . .it can't be," Eli backed up a few steps, fear slowly starting in her body.

"These can't hold me!" Diane proclaimed, trying to break the bonds.

"That's useless," Gilthunder warned.

"Gah!" She gasped out as the bonds became tighter.

"Diane, save it. Don't bother," Meliodas exclaimed.

"But Captain. . ." She grunted, feeling how constricting they got the more you struggle.

"Do you know why the Holy Knights are after the heads of the Seven Deadly Sins?" Gilthunder lowered his sword onto Meliodas' shoulder, near his neck.

"Not really," Meliodas shrugged.

"Half of them are seeking revenge and total eradication of the rebel order that plotted to overthrow the kingdom. The other half want to do glorious battle and vanquish the legendary warriors to prove their own strength and capture Water Queen Nixilia in hopes for her hand," Gilthunder proclaimed.

I'm not some kind of prize!

Ugh!

"And which half are you?"

Meliodas, what are you doing?!

"Both of them-no, I want more."

Gilthunder, what kind of poison did they put in you to think like this?

"Is that so?" Meliodas is testing him.

"Yes. To avenge the death of my father, Zaratras, Grand Master of the Holy Knights. And to show that I am even greater then he, the most powerful Holy Knight ever known. Killing you will prove that, as well as taking Nixilia."

"Nixilia. . .? Wait, you're Water Queen Nixilia?! But, you look so different!" Eli exclaimed in shock.

It is true.

My hair was much shorter, I was very short, wore royal gowns and I was weak.

I've changed for the better these past ten years.

I'm much stronger now.

"So you're under the impression that I'm the one who murdered your father?" Meliodas asked with concern as I started chanting a spell in my head.

"Are you saying you're not?" Gilthunder questioned, getting irritated.

Teef ym revo speews retaw the,

Dnats I erehw sdnuorrus.

"See, the thing is, I don't actually remember much from back then. The last thing I remember is all of us, even Nixie, being summoned to the old castle on the outskirts of town. I was hoping to get a few drinks to celebrate the founding of the kingdom-" I shut Meliodas out, trying to focus on getting us out of here.

Teef ym revo speews retaw the,

Dnats I erehw sdnuorrus.

As Meliodas continued on, I could feel the water that is buried deep within the Earth starting to rise, slowly forming puddles around Gilthunder and around us.

"Nix-?"

"Ssh," I shushed Diane.

Em ot respdihw sevaw eht,

Dnas tfos eht ot em gnillac!

"I knew it! You really weren't the ones who killed the Grand Master!" Eli smiled in relief.

"That makes no difference to me," Gilthunder growled.

"What are you saying?!" Eli exclaimed in shock and hurt.

"Rebels and traitors who plotted to overthrow the kingdom, that's all you people are," Gilthunder glares daggers at us.

Teef ym revo speews retaw the,

Dnats I erehw sdnuorrus!

"Enough! You must stop this! Didn't you hear what Sir Meliodas said? They aren't the ones who murdered him! Don't you understand?!" Eli yelled at Gilthunder.

"Elizabeth, the kingdom wants you put under protective custody. But, I haven't the slightest interest in that," Removing the blade from Meliodas' neck, he pointed it at Eli!

"Alive or dead, it's all the same. To me, you are no more then a grain of sand on the road that is being traveled," He released her from her bonds.

"Go away, the Sins and I have unfinished business to take care of."

Hawk crawled over, his skin burning and Gilthunder kicked Hawk, causing Eli to go after him.

Meliodas and Diane released themselves from the bonds, along with myself and Gilthunder and Meliodas began their fight.

"Nixie! Don't-!"

"Diane, as much as Meliodas has the biggest chance in this fight, I still need to teach Gilthunder that it's never okay to threaten my friends," Deciding not to argue with me, she backed away.

"Teef ym revo speews retaw the,

Dnats I erehw sdnuorrus!

Em ot respdihw sevaw eht,

Dnas tfos eht ot em gnillac!"

I yelled out my spell and a giant wall of water appeared in front of me, distracting Gilthunder and Meliodas.

"Nixilia. . ." Gilthunder breathed out, shocked as I emerged from the wall and now in front of it.

"Gilthunder, next time you think of hurting my friends, remember that not only are you messing with Water Queen Nixilia, but also. . .The Sin of Despair!"

[This chapter was 1068 words.  I didn't accidentally publish it this time. That's how I left it but I did fix it up a bit)