This is a world in which humans and beings have yet to be divided. A tale of ancient times. Before the battle of Liones, the Kingdom of Camelot was soundly beaten and conquered. However, a spark of hope remains in the heroes that soon draw near. Hooray, the sins are here...

...The Eight Deadly Sins are here!

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Chapter XVI
Declaration of War

Taking in a deep breath, Elizabeth closed her eyes slowly, channelling all of her magic energy towards her fingertips. The silverette was positioned delicately over the ill-ridden goddess, a trickle of sweat appearing slowly as she concentrated on the task at hand.

She had to do this. She refused to let her new friend die.

Careful not to break her own fragile focus, the princess raised her hand gently, hovering it a short distance above where the brunette's heart was supposed to be. Her eyebrows furrowed; her expression taut.

Sensing that enough energy had been gathered, she steeled herself, preparing to accomplish her current goal; to heal Victoria.

Her hand flexed into an arch, bending upwards as she extended each finger into place, assuming her position.

"Invigorate!" her ability activated instantly.

And then, she was in.

A blinding light soon swallowed her up, squinting her eyes to see through it. It was so bright; too bright. Almost as if she was staring right at a goddess herself, pushing away all forms of darkness.

She could tell that this wasn't Victoria's own presence. Hers was far less prominent, slightly tainted by humanity deep within. There was something else too...

This aura, however, was sickeningly bright, far too great for anyone's tastes. A being among beings it seemed.

Likely the full form of that woman from back outside.

The female had temporarily left them, exiting the cart to go outside for reasons unknown, Escanor had told her. Apparently, the trio had managed to run right into Escanor just days ago. She wasn't sure if this was fortunate because it was almost high noon.

According to the sin of pride, they were the reason why he was currently unable to change and simply beat the goddess up. Since both she and Victoria were right there, he couldn't use his Sunshine ability unless he wanted to fry the duo into oblivion. By extension, this would make Meliodas unhappy, and from there he claimed Merlin would be displeased with him too. So he refrained completely.

That didn't help the few times in which his glasses had slipped down in the last three days both before and after she had awoken. To avoid trouble she pretended to still be unconscious, Escanor helping out by making sure she was in the exact same position each time. If not, he claimed that a bump in the road had moved her.

At any rate, she was gone, and she had decided to take this opportunity to heal Victoria and hopefully escape. Escanor wouldn't need saving at high noon, after all.

Making her way through the lightness, she searched fervently for a cause. It seemed like some sort of curse, surprisingly bestowed by a creature of divinity instead.

"Where could it be?" Elizabeth thought aloud to herself, glancing around the light.

A smile fit the face of the person now behind her.

An angelic hand, firmly gripping her wrist as she spun around in shock, surprised.

"And where do you think you're going, Elizabeth?" the woman standing behind her spoke, the smile never leaving her beautiful face.

The woman was stunning; too stunning. Long roulettes of wavy blonde hair fell over her back and shoulders, touching the light-covered floor. An intricate gold crown stood tall on her head, two sections extending downwards at the side of her face. Gold rectangular earrings extended into smaller rectangles, three attached to each one. Assortments of similarly metaled jewellery were on her hands and around her neck, probably on her feet too. A silky flowing dress of white was draped over her body, kissing the floor around her. She emanated divinity; no she was divine.

Piercing citrine-yellow eyes stared down at her from a pedestal of power, seemingly deciding whether to bless or execute the princess who paled in her shadow. Elizabeth felt intimidated by this being.

She kept quiet.

This was no deterrent for the female to continue, however, as she resumed her monologue.

"At first, I wasn't sure it really was you," she grinned, "But after this little stunt you pulled in my absence, I knew you were the one."

This was the woman from outside, the princess realized instantly, dragging away her hand as if she was on fire. The assailant simply smiled.

"H- how do you know who I am?" she questioned defensively, "Who... who are you?"

A smile of secrecy was the only answer she got.

"I presume you are still travelling with that creature?" she tested the words on her lips, clearly in distaste.

"Who are you talking about?" she was confused.

"The vilest thing left in Britannia, of course," she commented calmly, hands interlocked in thin patience, "the Demon King's spawn; Meliodas."

Elizabeth felt appalled at the way she referred to the helpful blonde. However, something she had stated had caught her attention.

"Demon... King...?"

The female's hand covered her mouth delicately, "Don't you remember? The prince Meliodas? Betrayed his clan for you, he did," she laughed at the mention.

Meliodas was the son of the Demon Clan's leader? She at least knew that apparently, the ones called Zeldris and Estarossa were his younger brothers- but this? They were the Demon King's sons?

"What are you talking about?" she was in no state of mind to process this kind of information today. All she had wanted was to simply heal her friend.

The lady seemed surprised, "Oh? Looks like you don't know," she assessed her response.

"Look," Elizabeth began, bring her hand to her chest as she protested, extending her other.

"The Elizabeth you are talking about can't be me! You must be making a mistake!" she denied, shaking her head firmly.

The female's eyes narrowed, "I don't make mistakes. But fair enough, to each his own. I'll delete this revelation later."

"Delete?"

The woman's face took an analytical turn, similar to Delizah's.

Her hands dangled at her side, "Simple really; if I deem that a mortal has been exposed to more information that they are ready to handle, I erase it," she explained coldly, "Once you exit this place; this conversation won't be remembered."

"Hold on... You're just going to make me forget all that I've heard?" Elizabeth frowned, "These are my memories, you can't take them away! Actually, I won't let you!" she raised her hands above her head.

Memory wasn't her speciality; it was Gowther's form of play. However, she could still try to heal her mind from the damage of having her experiences forcibly ripped away.

"Invigorate!" she tried desperately on herself.

"It's futile," the goddess calmly stated, "I could simply throw out that you're a member of the Goddess Clan and you wouldn't be able to remember it to this day."

"I'm a member of the Goddess Clan?" Elizabeth stressed, her head starting to hurt from the overload.

"See, you can't handle it," she scrutinized bluntly, "You are in the middle of having a headache right now."

She didn't want to admit it... but she was right.

A hand waved in the air, easing her pain. The princess' head felt clearer; freer.

"But that's not what you are here for, is it?" the goddess stated rather than asked.

Since she was going to forget it anyway, the silverette decided to move on.

"No, it's not," she shook her head determinedly, "I'm here to heal Victoria."

"May I ask you why you wish to heal the Avalon-spawn?"

"Avalon?"

"Answer the question."

Elizabeth decided not to think too much into it, her head was full as it was.

"Victoria is my friend. I don't want her to feel pain anymore," she explained, "If I can, I want to heal her so that she'll feel better."

"Hmm," the woman narrowed her eyes coldly, "Sorry but you can't."

"Why? Why are you doing this to her?" Elizabeth questioned pleadingly, "What has she done to you to deserve this?"

"What makes you think she's the only one?"

"What?" Elizabeth was shocked.

"Delizah Samael is a perpetrator of several crimes, with her very birth being a result of one," the goddess elaborated, "However, she is not the only one."

"Then who-?"

"Both the Samaels and Ava- Midnights are prophesied to both be instrumental in the downfall of the Goddess Clan; my downfall. It is due to this factor that they shall not be allowed to live, goddess or mortal," she stated.

"But a prophecy is not their fault!" Elizabeth protested to the unfair reason, "It isn't right!"

"That may be so, however, that is irrelevant to me."

"What?"

The divine being sighed, "I'm sure you have already guessed but I am a goddess. It is that exact reason why that concept is irrelevant to me," she paused.

"I... I don't understand."

"You always were the weird one..." she muttered, "The morals behind humans about right and wrong are their own fabrication. The fairies and giants may have different views. However, I will tell you now that the goddesses and demons have different opinions on the matter."

She continued, "We are not bound to any particular moral inclination. Exactly why the Holy War existed 3000 years ago in the first place. Instead, we do as our interests please. It could include decimating the humans or massacring the giants and fairies. Superior or inferior beings have no use for silly things such as laws and morals. That is why two Holy Wars are fated to collide this time. Demons vs Britannia in vengeance and Goddesses vs Britannia for eradication."

"Two Holy Wars?" Elizabeth's eyes bugged out of her head, "But my father only saw one!" she exclaimed.

"Really?" the goddess commented simply, "And why do you think he prophesied his most recent vision."

Thinking back, she remembered the words that her father had kept saying in his explanation of when he had gotten the prophecy.

"Quickly! We have no time!"

"Our land will soon be in grave danger."

"No..." she realized, hope almost lost, "It can't be... Why were we warned this late...?"

"Unfortunately for you, but your father's Vision is a power blessed by the goddesses," she smirked, "It was a simple matter to withhold the prophecy along with all information about the second war of holiness. With no details, it will be easy to wipe Britannia off the face of the map, along with those pesky rodents; the demons."

"He simply couldn't say it was a flat out war without all of the details," she finished.

"How... how could this happen?" she sank to the ground in despair, "First the demons... Now the goddesses? How will we survive?" she questioned, tears coming to her eyes.

The deity remained silent.

No... she thought to herself, that can't be it. That won't be it! I know the Eight Deadly Sins! They wouldn't let that happen... they couldn't!

A fire lit up in her eyes as she wiped her tears.

"I have to say... when you first said that? It nearly got me," she stood up with a new determination burning through her.

"However, I know a group of people who won't let that happen!" she smiled, hair beginning to lift as her power surged through the darkness.

Her orange eye was revealed in the brightness.

Diane... Lord King... Lord Gowther... Lord Ban... Lady Merlin... Lord Escanor... she thought to herself, picturing each individual. And Lord Meliodas! Elizabeth stared determinedly at the goddess before her. You wouldn't let that happen!

Burning with a bright flame, she spoke aloud, "I don't care if I won't remember this conversation after all of this! My friends... The Seven- no- Eight Deadly Sins will stop you!" she declared.

"So get ready, you goddesses! Lord Meliodas and the Eight Deadly Sins are coming to get you!" she determined finally.

Hands raised in the air, she started her spell with more power than usual.

"Ark!"

An even brighter light filled the air.

***

Elizabeth declares war on the Goddess Clan!

When Elizabeth says the sins will defeat them, can they hold this promise up? Or will they come crashing to the ground?

Remember to vote, comment and tell me what you think!

~Nia