We're all together on Mama Hawks back when she walks past Istar just shortly after. A part of the group is inside whilst the rest of us stands outside. I hear Merlin call my name and when I turn around to face her, Arthur is standing right next to her.

"It's time for Arthur to go back home" she says.

"What?!" Arthur exclaims as his violet eyes widen in surprise. "But Lady Merlin-"

Merlin shushes him with just a small movement with her hand and he listens immediately. The relationship between Merlin and Arthur is still a very special one and the way she watches over him is the most loving expression of her love that I have ever seen in Merlin. "You're the king of Camelot" Merlin speaks up to him. "That is your priority, not Liones."

"She's right, Arthur" I say and walk over to the boy. I give her a look that tells her that I'm going to say goodbye to the young king and lead him away from the others.

"I should stay with you, Lady Yami" Arthur begins but I cut him off as well.

"Merlin is right, Arthur. This is not your war. Not yet."

"You sound like it's going to change soon."

I sigh and try to not look into his eyes. I don't want to imagine what could happen within the next weeks. And I don't want to imagine him fighting against overpowered demons. "I just want to consider all the possibilities. But right now, it's time for you to head back home. You've trained your powers, that's why Merlin brought along in the first place."

Arthur places his hand under my chin and forces me to look into his soft violet eyes by lifting up my head and I can't help but smile. His eyes are full of warmth, love and hope. They are the gateway to a better world. "I see a lot of worry in your eyes, Lady Yami. Please be sure that I believe that everything is going to turn out fine" he says.

I pull the king into my arms and hug him tightly. "Promise me to stay safe, Arthur" I say and try to push away the fears of him getting hurt.

"There she is" he laughs as he hugges me back.

"What do you mean?" I ask confused as we let go off each other.

"You've changed a lot in the past years, Lady Yami. You're so strong now. But every now and then I can see your insecurities. Maybe the others can't see it, but I can see it in your eyes. And that's okay. I am also often insecure. It's good to see that you haven't changed completely."

"Thank you" I whisper and hug him once again. "Promise me to stay safe" I repeat before pulling apart.

"I promise you" he says and I let him leave with Merlin.

"Hey King!" I hear Meliodas shout as the fairy king is about to leave, too. "Where are you going?"

King turns around to face the Captain. "I need to look for Diane. I know you promised to join but there's no time."

"Let him go, Meliodas" I say whilst walking up to them and see King looking at me in surprise. "You're right, King. We don't have the time to follow you and we need to seperate sometime soon. I know you love her, King. And I would do the same."

King nods at me thankfully. "I'll come back!" he says before flying away to find his beloved one.

Mama Hawk continues to walk past Istar, towards cities in the kingdom Liones as that's where we expect some of the Ten Commandments to appear. The night has fallen over us already and I look into the distance and watch the surroundings pass by as I listen to the rhytmic stamping of Mama Hawk. Arthur is back in Camelot, King has left to find Diane and Ban is gone as well and we still haven't found Escanor yet. If anything is going to happen within the next few days, it would be three of the Seven Deadly Sins, a princess unaware of her powers, a talking pig and a half-demon fighting against members of the Ten Commandments. Not an overly heady thought.

"Thought I'd find you up here" a voice says and I turn around to see Meliodas who joins me on the roof of his tavern. He walks over and sits down next to me. "You still seem to love high places to sit on."

"Oh, Meliodas" I breath out and place my head on his right shoulder. It feels like I haven't seen him for days. He looks down at me surprised but then places his arms around my body to pull me in front of him. "Are you okay?" he asks while holding me close.

"I felt it all. In Istar. I felt the pain and suffering you were going through" I say as tears form in my eyes once again as I remember the terrible pain from earlier. "I understand if you don't want to talk about your trial but I know it must have been terrible. Just know if you ever need or want to talk about it, I'm here for you. And if you don't want to talk about it, I'll still be here for you, Meliodas." It's hard for me to hold back my tears but I try to stay strong for my friend.

Meliodas doesn't say a word but I feel his body tense up at my words. He tightens his hold on me but a moment later he begins to stroke my arm with his thumb to call down himself. "It was Liz" he breathes out and I see tears forming in his eyes as well. "They had me re-live everything with her and I really mean everything." He begins to cry. "I watched her die again and again and everytime I destroyed the place, it began again. I just coulnd't control myself" he says and sobs. I sit with him, crying as well whilst he holds onto me tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Meliodas" I mumble and burry my head in his neck, soaking it with my tears.

The two of us just sit there, crying for a couple of minutes whilst sharing his pain. I don't even want to imagine Meliodas re-living his life with Liz, the last reincarnation of the Elizabeth she once used to be. His relationship with Liz was one of the most special ones and for the very first time, they lived together like a normal couple. The way their love grew was almost as strong as in the very first time.

"What about you? What's wrong?" he mumbles sometime later. His head is still burried in my hair and he still holds onto me tightly.

"Nothing" I lie.

"I know you better than that, Yami."

I close my eyes before I answer him to enjoy the closeness we share. "I really miss this" I say quietly. "When did life become so complicated?"

"I think it's always been. We're just getting tired of living that way."

"Are you?" I ask him concerned and move my head to look into his green eyes that are filled with sadness. "I mean... Are you tired of living like this?"

"Aren't you sometimes?" he asks back.

"I'll never get tired of living in a world with you, Meliodas. I know the pain can seem unbearable and I know you suffer a lot but please don't give up. You exude hope. And I know I missed out on a lot. I know that I don't know everything. But you give hope to Elizabeth, again and again, you give hope to me, you always have. And you give hope to your friends and the people around you. I know your pain is strong and I can't promise you it'll vanish anytime soon but there's no hope in this world if you're the one giving up on it."

Melioda's serious look rests on me for a few seconds before a gentle laugh escapes his mouth. Once again he pulls me closer and places a kiss on my hair. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too" I say and sunggle my head into his chest.

"I won't give up, Yami. I promise you. You're right, one day we're going to end all of this."

I sit there in silence before I can't keep my mouth shut anymore. I have to ask him the question that has been on my mind all evening. "Hey Meliodas... Are you really going to fight your own brothers?"

"Who else should do it?" he says but his answer doesn't reassure me in the least. I slide back and forth in his arms uncomfortably. "I know you would like to hear me say something different, Yami. But I'm afraid there is no other way."

"They're your brothers after all, Meliodas."

"I will fight everything that stands in our way and poses a threat to what I love. And I will protect you and the princess. Regardless of the price."

"When will you finally learn that you don't have to protect me anymore? It's about 5.000 years ago now, Meliodas. I've become stronger. And this time, I'm not going to leave your side. This time, we're finishing this war together" I say sternly. And for the very first time, I really believe what I'm saying. Meliodas smiles at me softly and we keep sitting on the roof whilst he tells me all about his new adventure with Elizabeth and the Sins when they were fighting Hendrickson.

3rd persons POV

Elizabeth stands on Mama Hawk and watches Meliodas and Yami sit together closely. She feels clearly uncomfortable at the sight of their familiarity. A feeling of pain in the form of jealousy spreads inside her. It's not the first time. No, she had felt it before. But the sight of her beloved one being so close to someone else is still difficult to bear. And it's a lot different from everyone else Meliodas is close to.

She hears footsteps and moves her head to face Gilthunder and Gowther join her outside. "What are you looking at, Princess Elizabeth?" Gilthunder asks and moves his head to where she was looking at just a few seconds ago. He catches his breath when he sees Meliodas and Lady Yami sit there together so closely. Gowther looks at his friends in confusion and tries to understand what makes the princess and holy knight feel so uncomfortable, so he raises his view as well.

"Lady Elizabeth..." Gilthunder begins as he tries to comfort the princess but shuts his mouth again as there's nothing he has to say.

"I feel an accumulation of negative feelings. Is this because of the sight of the Captain and Lady Yami?" Gowther asks.

Princess Elizabeth looks at him surprised. "Gowther... No" she whispers and looks down on the ground. "No negative feelings."

"Are you sure?" Gowther asks as he tilts his head to the side. "From what I perceive of you, it seems like something like what people call jealousy."

Elizabeths eyes widen in shock and she stutters an excuse as Merlin appears next to them. "Gowther, we have told you several times that you shouldn't read the minds of others without being asked."

"From what I know jealousy is an emotion, not a thought" Gowther states.

"Until you are able to feel emotions, you should choose your words more wisely" says Merlin.

"Lady Merlin" Elizabeth says as she feels sorry for her friend. "Don't be too harsh on him. He meant no harm."

"What's that?" Gilthunder asks confused when flyers fall down from the sky.

"In the coming days, a Great Fighting Festival will be held in Vaizel. The winner will be given the right to have any wish granted."

Everyone is back in the tavern as Meliodas reads the flyer loudly. "Can't ask for a more tempting prize" he says whilst rubbing his chin with his fingers as he begins to think about something. "Maybe I'll expand the tavern."

"Oh come on! It has to be a scam!" Howzer says madly.

"So you think the Ten Commandments are behind this?" asks Hawk.

"Can you think of anyone else who would do something crazy like using Demons to hand out flyers?" I ask as I remember the dark aura that surrounded us when Demons flew above us, dropping the papers. I haven't felt so uncomfortable in years.

"Meliodas, no matter how you look at it-" Hawk begins but gets cut off by Hendrickson.

"No matter how you look at it, it's a trap!" he scolds.

I look ad Hendrickson and the other men that all are wearing the tavern outfit. "Looking good, Hendrickson" I chuckle. "Almost better than your uniform."

"Lady Yami!" Merlin scolds at me for my inappropriate behaviour.

"Now then, now then, now then" Meliodas says but can't hide his amusement about my statement. "We still have no sign of Escanor or any Commandments, so why don't we stop by?"

"A-are you serious?" Hendrickson mutters. "Do you have some kind of plan?"

"It just sounds like fun!" he laughs loudly and I can see the faces of the Holy Knights drop. I chuckle by the childish behavior of my friend.

Gowther suddenly jumps up on a table, points his finger in the air and exclaims: "And now, to the Vaizel Great Fighting Festival, seeking what I've lost, I shall go forth!"

"Sir Gowther, is something wrong?" Elizabeth asks confused.

"Don't worry. There's always something wrong with him" Meliodas says but I can't stop to look at Gowther concerned. What is that he's looking for? He's been acting weird since erasing Dianes memories.

"Actually, it's a phase from a book" Gowther says unimpressed and jumps down the table, leaving me wondering if he's actually looking for something or just acting weird in general.

"Well, Meliodas" I laugh. "As I expected of you! Taking down this many by yourself" I say as Meliodas and I sit next to a pair of passed out monsters. He chuckles and watches the stick with food toasting over the fire.

"Do you think the others are fine?" I ask concerned. Once we entered the maze, everyone had disappeared so only Meliodas and I were left alone together.

"Of course they are" he says and grabs the stick with food on it and takes a big bite. "That's some disgusting scraps for Hawk."

I laugh and take a bite as well. "Well, it will keep us strong" I say and try to swallow the meat. But he is right, it tastes really disgusting. Meliodas' head shoots up suddenly and he looks at the wall behind him.

"Meliodas, what's wrong?" I ask confused and get up from my seat, joining him where he's standing at.

"There" he says and places his left hand on the wall. "Elizabeth. Thank goodness."

"Meliodas, is that true?"

"Hey Elizabeth" he says, ignoring me completely. "Wait for me, okay?"

"I don't sense anything, Meliodas. Are you sure?"

"I can tell. Everything, if it's about her."

I can't help but feel the warmth of his words surrounding my heart. It fills my heart with joy and love. I have never seen a love that is as pure and as strong as theirs. And if there's something or someone that, in this world, really matters to Meliodas, then it's Elizabeth. So when he says, she is behind this wall, then she really is. "Huh, what's this?" Meliodas asks and turns around. I follow his view and we find a plate with fresh meat. "This aroma..." Meliodas walks over to take a bite. "This is delicious!!"

"Let me try!" I say and steal his fork, taking a bite as well. "I haven't eaten this good in ages!"

"I need to find this cook and hire him at the Boar Hat tavern!" Meliodas says and shoves the food in his mouth.

"If you do so, I'll never leave you guys again" I say and then see that Meliodas has almost eaten all the food. "Hey Meliodas, leave me something!" I complain and steal the plate from him.

"I guess it can't be helped. If you insist on hiring me maybe I'll go back" we hear a voice and turn around surprised to see Ban standing there. But my first reaction is spitting out my food as I can't stop laughing at what he is wearing. "What's that on your body, Ban?" I laugh loudly at the way too small sized new outfit.

"Ban!" Meliodas says happily.

"Captain!" Ban exclaims happily, both of them ignoring me completely.

"Ban!" Meliodas answers once again very happily and they begin to do some weird hand-clapping moves before Ban punches Meliodas.

"Meliodas!" I exclaim surprised. "Ban, what are you doing?" But Meliodas just laughs, whipes off the drop of blood with his hand and punches Ban as well, sending him miles away against the next wall. "Ban!"

What are these idiots doing?!

"Such strength" Ban breathes out and gets back on his feet.

"Sorry about that. I got carried away" Meliodas apologizes and rubs the back of his head.

"It's only been a little while since I saw you but it looks like you're back to how you were ten years ago."

"Idiots" I mumble when I finally realize that it's nothing but fun to them.

"Ban" Meliodas then asks serious and steps right in front of his friend. "Did you come back to the Great Fighting Festival to get your wish granted?"

"Nope" Ban answers. "I was just here to deliver some alcohol in Vaizel."

"Wait" I say. "You came back from whatever you were doing and wherever you were going to, to deliver some alcohol?"

"It's a favor to Escanor."

"Escanor?!" Meliodas and I exclaim at the same time and look at him with our mouths wide open. "You were with Escanor?"

"Elaine is with me, too."

"E-Elaine?" I stutter. Meliodas had told me about the story just yesterday. But the dead cannot be brought back! Unless... Meliodas' shocked face tells me he just had the same thought.

Melascula.

"It's only natural that you'd be surprised" Ban says. "To be honest, I can't keep up with all that's going on, either." Meliodas eyes begin to water but he tries to hold back the tears in his eyes. Instead, he brings up his fest and touches Bans chest sligthly. "You were reunited with the woman you love. That's great" is all Meliodas says.

"But Captain..." Ban mutters. "I tried to kill you."

I remember what Meliodas had told me about his fight with Ban shortly before they saved the kingdom. "Ban" I step in and try to calm him down. "We are gonna have to find everybody and escape from this maze, okay? Let's worry about everything else later."

"Captain... I'm sorry" Ban says and ignores me just as good as Meliodas does sometimes, for the second time already. They sure are best friends.

"Let's go, best bud! For the sake of the one we each want to protect!"

Now, Ban smiles. "Right. I'll find Elaine after we find the princess you say is beyond this wall."

Meliodas looks at his friend surprised. "Ban..."

"Don't worry" Ban says and turns to watch his friend as well. "I have a dependable Fairy King and a Holy Knight to protect Elaine." Ban turns to watch the wall Meliodas stands in front of already. "If we go slowly, we won't make any progress."

"Yeah. Let's pulverize it!" Meliodas says sternly.

"I will help you guys!" I say and step forward. Meliodas turns around to look at me surprised but nods then.

We all take a little distance from one another and then free our powers. Meliodas cuts the wall in high-speed with his weapon whilst Ban hits it hardly with his nunchucks. Since I don't have a special weapon, I just send dark power balls at the wall.

"Please, get back!" I hear Elizabeth say from opposite the wall and turn around to face Meliodas. "We're almost through!" I shout. We increase our attacks once again and the thick wall in front of us is gone.

I can finally make out the faces of Meliodas' friends when the clouds of dust disappears. A smile playes on my face because we're finally reunited.

"Diane!" I say happily as I see that the giant is back as well. Diane tilts her head to the side as she looks at me. "Who is she?"