I mean, it's probably noon somewhere in the world right now.... Sorry, guys, but this chapter had me pulling out my damn hair ARGH! I don't know what it was but it frustrated the hell out of me. I actually scrapped it completely right after I posted the announcement because I didn't like how it was turning out. 

Please let me know your thoughts. I know it's not a highly active chapter but I'd love your feedback on the dialogue and such :) 

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"What the-?!" Howzer exclaimed. I was surprised he didn't drop the ghost that spoke like a sack of potatoes. "So you're still..."

I rubbed the centre of my forehead as Gowther looked around innocently. It was wrong to assume he'd died – killing Sins was harder than killing a cockroach. "It's good to see you awake, Gowther," I said, which drew his attention briefly.

"Where did he go?" Gowther said, asking about Ban of all people.

"You were with him last, what happened?" I questioned, the others leaning in close.

Gowther blinked once. "I volunteered to return after we noticed Diane's abilities. The Captain and Ban were supposed to be heading to the castle together but now it seems only the Captain has continued on and is now battling someone."

"It's definitely Gilthunder." Everyone turned to look at Leraj who was wiping his blade clean before he sheathed it. "It's not hard to gather by the power behind that lightning attack. He's always been skilled and quite capable in keeping Meliodas occupied."

Diane's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute... I didn't realise before because we were busy trying not to die but you're the man Estra talked out. Leraj."

Leraj froze, locking eyes on me for half a second before glancing up at the giant. He knew there would be no friendly welcoming and I'd forgotten to warn my friends that he's with us for now. "Yes, that's me," he said slowly.

As quick as a fox, she hoisted him into the air. "We've heard all about what you did to her. All of it," Diane huffed, holding Leraj close to her face. King hovered by Diane's head. They were like two coiled vipers with a trapped mouse.

I shook my hands in the air to get her attention. "Hey, Diane, it's okay!" Please just don't throw him into a building. He's valuable. She ignored me and I got really concerned that we'd have a fight between demon and giantess quite soon.

"Then you should know how sorry I am that ever happened to her, and majority of it by my hands," was all he said. Diane didn't like that answer, her hand squeezing tighter and a flicker of pain streaked across Leraj's face. "By all means, crush me now. Just know that your Captain won't be pleased if you get rid of the person he asked for."

Steam literally blew from Diane's ears. "The Captain asked for you?"

"Yes, Diane! The Captain asked me to find him!" I shouted up, trying hard to diffuse the situation from my pitiful place on the ground. I looked at the others for help but they were intensely trying to avoid the confrontation by pretending to survey their armour and weaponry.

"After this is all over, I give you full permission to hit me," Leraj said. "No holding back, full strength, whatever you want. But right now, we have more important things to worry about. So I ask that you put me back on the ground."

That was bold. Diane wavered, considering his words. Then she plumped the demon back on the ground. "And you don't move." Crisis adverted. I sighed.

"Deal," he said, relief evident in his voice. He ran a hand through his hair and mused it even more. "Now, Gowther, who else do you sense?"

The pink haired sin cocked his head at Leraj, staring hard. Leraj's face twitched with annoyance as Gowther left his question unanswered and a tense, long minute passed.

I felt a pang in my chest with how my friends were treating him. I felt touched that they were adamant about seeking revenge against the demon; but then again, they never heard his confession and what he'd recently done for me. We were also in a precarious situation that had my skin crawling like we were running out of time yet I didn't know what for.

So I stepped forward to Leraj's side and asked, "Gowther, who else is fighting with the Captain?"

"Two others. One is Hendrickson, the other is the magic signature we recognised earlier."

"Then we better get a move on. Hendrickson isn't a Grand Holy Knight for nothing," Howzer said.

I shuddered, remembering his power suddenly like a bucket of cold water. Those eyes, the inability to disobey, the power that emanated from his commands.

"Estra?" I felt a hand on my shoulder and I quickly shrugged it off. Leraj had a knowing look on his face.

"Let's hustle," I said, plastering on a straight face. Wouldn't do to show that I was scared.

Diane took lead, using Gideon as a walking stick, with King floating beside her. Guila and her brother came next with Jericho, sheltered in Diane's shadow. I positioned myself behind them with Howzer not far behind. The knight had decided to finally drop Gowther, and now he walked beside Howzer. Our motley crew was on the way and I just hoped we arrived with enough time to spare.

"Thanks," whispered Leraj as we fell into step beside each other. "For before." I half expected him to ask about Hendrickson but was glad he didn't.

"No need," I answered, trying to keep my gaze away from him – I didn't feel the need to apologise for my friend's reactions and that paved the way for an awkward silence.

I filled it by peeling off my damaged armour and casting it away. It flumped to the ground, mangled and definitely not protective any longer. Even so... I turned round to face the glare aimed at me.

"What? It's useless now," I said to Leraj, countering his glare with an eyebrow raised.

"It will still offer some buffering for attacks," he reasoned, adjusting his own armour. It had dents a-plenty and scuff marks all over the breastplate.

I rolled my eyes, then my shoulders for good measure to work out the kinks. "I have Mana, a sword and great friends with a variety of powers to watch my back. The armour isn't going to provide any more protection than that, it'll just get in the way. It's getting too heavy and cumbersome to move in."

"AHA!" We all jumped at Diane's sudden outburst, weapons drawn between one blink and the next.

"What is it?"

"You better pay up when we get back," Diane said to King and the fairy grumbled something unintelligible.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and re-sheathed my sword. We were in the middle of enemy territory and these two were discussing a bet? The others followed suit and send side-eye looks at each other.

"Pay up for what?" I asked, knowing I would regret it.

"We had a bet going on when you'd finally ditch the armour," King said. "I said you would wear it the entire time in a battle. You seemed pretty comfortable in it at the tavern."

"And I said that you'd get rid of it because it would annoy you. Hawk was always going on about how you complained about wearing lots of layers of clothes because of how immobile you felt, but he could never understand why you had so many dirty clothes."

My face went beet-red. "Could you not air my dirty laundry to the public?" Fixing them both with a stern glare, I added, "And could this wait until after we get out of Liones?"

Both had the humility to look bashful as they stared at the ground.

"Anyway." I dropped my voice. "Instead of berating me for ditching armour, can we talk about how I feel like we're missing something? I feel like we're running out of time and it's making me antsy." Leraj's side eye spoke volumes. The crawling turned into buzzing in my ears. "What is it?" I asked in a harsh whisper, checking to make sure the others didn't hear me.

"Remember how I said Hendrickson can control when the new generation... switch on?"

My eyes locked on Jericho, mouth dry. "You think it's going to happen soon?" How soon was the question I wanted to ask but the unknown answer frightened me. Every fibre of my being trembled with the fact that the new generation were literal ticking time bombs. That I could be one of them if expunging the demon blood hadn't worked successfully.

"I think Meliodas fighting Gilthunder is a good thing. It's keeping Hendrickson occupied. If Hendrickson is occupied, if he thinks he has a chance of taking down the Captain in the next few minutes, then we are buying ourselves time."

"That's not helpful, Leraj!" I hissed which had Ziel piquing interest. I smiled at the child and he smiled back before turning to ask his sister something.

Guila. She had the demon blood too.

Three new generation knights, maybe three to turn into demons.

My hands shook as I tried to come up with a solution that didn't involve blatantly shoving Guila and Jericho away. "What do we do?" Unnecessary panic would only arise if we told the others and I was afraid that saying it out-loud would trigger the changes. All we really could do was...

"Keep an eye on them... and you," Leraj muttered. He scrubbed at his face and when he drew his hands away, I saw the dark circles under his eyes.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked. "You aren't going to pass out on me, are you?" I joked but his chuckle was half-hearted.

"Just tired. Taking out a heart takes its toll physically. As long as I get little chances to rest, I can continue on for the entire day." He shot me a smile that made my cheeks warm. "Are you concerned, fox? Didn't take you for the type."

I puffed my cheeks, crossed my arms over my chest and looked away. "You baka, I have to make sure you aren't going to slow us down when the time arises."

He snorted then reached over to ruffle my hair before I could react. The shock on his face told me he'd done it subconsciously, his hand frozen on my head. I rolled my eyes and took his hand off with one hand, the other attempting to smooth down the mess made by both fighting and his hand.

"Seriously, it took me a good 5 minutes to get this look perfect," I teased.

"Are you sure you two aren't partners?" Guila questioned. I dropped Leraj's hand like it was a hot coal and tucked my hands at my back.

"We aren't married or dating," I bit back, while she gave a nod that said 'sure, sure'. My eye twitched. "We aren't and that's the last I'll hear about that!"

A blast of blue light that gave us all shadows in the daylight had us cowering. Wave after wave of lightning filled the sky.

"Those shock-waves look pretty intense," King said in the silence and we all paused for a rest.

"From what I can assess, the Captain is now facing three opponents by himself," Gowther said.

Concerned, Diane turned to King and me. "I think one of you two should go. With the way things are going, you better get to the Captain."

"But I can't just leave you here," King answered, looking torn.

"I'll go," I said to save time, readjusting my hair into a high ponytail and checking my sword at my waist.

"Not alone you won't," Leraj added.

I shook my head at him. "If I go, I need someone to help protect the others. I need you stay here." I half expected him to get angry at me but he only sighed in resignation.

"I can't stop you either way," he said with a shrug. "But I would feel better if you went with King."

"Concern noted." I looked to King. "Well, I'm game if you are."

King turned to look at the castle, jaw set. "I think he'll be alright. That attack just now, looks like he meant to take it. I wonder what the Captain waiting for?"

The lightning sang in the air, erupting on the horizon in a blaze of glorious blue. I shielded my eyes from the light. I hope you're right, King, otherwise...

"I don't like standing around here," Howzer said, urging us into motion. With the lightning growing in strength, we hurried onwards, drawing ever nearer to the battle.

The buildings gave way to skeletal frameworks and rubble, and we spied citizens fleeing towards the gates. This area must have been where King's damage reached for the houses and shops were flattened, chunks of stone tombstones marking where they'd once been.

"Wait, wait, wait," Guila said. Jericho gave a hacking cough, her eyelids fluttering.

"Quickly, put her down. She might get panicked if you're holding her," Howzer said and I helped Guila put Jericho down – gently, I should add. The urge to drop her on her face crossed my mind but that wouldn't be wise if she was a demon bomb waiting to go off.

"What in hell is that?!"

I spun from my crouch to standing. A wavering sphere of light purple blotted the sky.

"Oh no, Captain!" Diane shrieked, covering her face with her hands.

Counter it, Meliodas! I silently willed.

A spark of black and purple, darker and more malevolent. Then an arc, a slicing snake in the sky that raced up the side of the tower. My skin on fire with the familiar feel of it scorching the air. That's Meliodas' power! But why was it headed in the opposite direction of the sphere?!

"Oh." Leraj blinked a few times. "Well, I'll be damned."

"What is it?"

"It's gone. Meliodas helped Gilthunder."

We all stared at Leraj.

"Gilthunder was being controlled by Hendrickson," he reiterated. "Everything he's done has been under Hendrickson's thumb."

"Wait, what? And you knew this and didn't help him?"

"I couldn't. Hendrickson had someone important to Gilthunder under demonic guard. If he so much as put a toe out of line, she would have been dealt with. Therefore I couldn't do anything to risk that."

"That sick son of a bitch, Hendrickson was blackmailing him!" Howzer's fury was mimicked on all our faces.

"I really cannot wait until we beat his ass."