Meliodas and his group rush through the city to find Diane and crew. As they got closer, they could see Diane holding back a Demon-like monster. "My guess would be that the Demon blood inside the New Generation knights is going out of control." They hear King say. "No, it's being forced to go out of control!" Meliodas corrects, kicking the Demon away. "Captain! Mother!" Diane calls, relieved to see the two. "Gil! What are you doing with these guys?" Howzer asks, seeing Gilthunder approach with Margaret and Elizabeth. "There's no time to explain right now. I'll fill you in later." Gilthunder replies. "Captain, it's being forced to go this way? You mean someone's behind this?" King asks. "Yeah. Guila and Jericho are only a couple of the New Generation this is happening to. Doesn't it seem kind of strange that all the New Generation knights in the city would go crazy at the same time?" Meliodas asks. "I'm not sure I understand." King replies.
"Look over there." Celeste motions to where another knight transforms into a Demon as well as several others. "Whoa, what is this?" Howzer asks, shocked. Jericho charges at Meliodas, but Diane gets in her way, blocking her. "Diane!" Elizabeth calls, worried. "Perceptive as always." A voice says from behind them, causing them to turn in its direction. "To be honest, the New Generation are just worthless riff-raff who fail to become Holy Knights. They're filled with contempt for those who are truly powerful and rage at themselves for being inferior. This ancient curse will only intensify those feelings and in time, it will consume them completely." The voice says. "That can't be..." King says in disbelief. "So you're still alive... Hendrickson." Meliodas says, stretching a hand out in front of Elizabeth. "Hendrickson?" Howzer asks. "He seems different from before." Elizabeth points out.
"Yeah. It seems like he's also consumed Demon blood." Celeste shakes her head disapprovingly taking in his new appearance, he looks like his younger self with darkness spread across his torso and his right eye black with a mark across it. "What an incredible blessing! When one is truly compatible with Demon blood, it augments their strength and amplifies their magical powers. All that research and experimentation was worth it." Hendrickson claims. "Now hand over Elizabeth or Celeste." Hendrickson demands, pointing at them. "Do so, and as one Demon to another, I'll let you live." He adds. "You're not a Demon, you're a fool. So from a Goddess to an idiot who thinks he's a Demon, I decline your offer." Celeste glares at him.
"I can't say I wasn't expecting that." Hendrickson smirks. "Were you expecting this, too?" King asks, pointing his daggers at Hendrickson. "Naturally." Hendrickson states and King's pushed away. "Back up?" He questions then gasps seeing his opponent. "But how? I just watched you die! Helbram!" King says distressed upon seeing his friend the same way he was a few minutes ago. "There's no use talking to him. He's been dead for quite a long time now. If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who killed him, right?" Hendrickson asks. "W-What did... What did you do to my friend Helbram?" King asks in shock. "King, no!" Diane shouts still holding Jericho at bay. "I hear the bodies of Fairies don't rot even after death. For nearly 200 years, his corpse had been a veritable gold mine on the black market. One day, it fell into my possession and I gave it temporary life." Hendrickson explains.
"Let me guess, using that damn technique of the Druids, Enslavement of the Dead. The ability to resurrect someone twice and with each resurrection the person's soul deteriorates and they won't be able to function normally." Celeste explains her voice and face void of any emotion. "Correct, as expected of you, Celeste." Hendrickson compliments. "No way. That's cruel! How could you!" King cries loudly. "Come now. Don't weep for him. What we have before us is a most glorious opportunity. A third occasion to kill your friend!" Hendrickson says with a sadistic smile watching as Helbram headbutts King. "It appears the show is about to begin!" He announces spreading his arms out. "Come on!" Howzer shouts pointing his lance at Hendrickson, but the man is fast elbowing Howzer in the chest knocking him away from the fight.
"You're starting to piss me off." Celeste growls appearing behind Hendrickson. "Oh really?" Hendrickson asks turning to face her with a smile that gets wiped off when Celeste punches him in the stomach, sending him flying back. Meliodas and Gilthunder stand beside her, leaving Elizabeth and Margaret exposed to any other threat. "Nicely done, Vivian." Hendrickson compliments her once he's recovered. The trio looks back seeing the mage with her staff around the princesses. "Sir Meliodas! Lady Celeste!" Elizabeth calls. "Gilthunder!" Margaret calls. "Vivian! Curse you!" Gilthunder shouts angrily. "You belong to me and me alone, sweet Gil! Have you any idea how my heart aches for you?" Vivian asks. "Vivian!" Celeste yells pissed, about to lunge at the mage when she felt something pierce through her chest, she looks back shocked seeing Hendrickson pull his blade out of her leaving her, Gilthunder and Meliodas to fall. "Gil!" Margaret and Vivian yell simultaneously while Elizabeth stares in shock, seeing blood pooling around Meliodas and Celeste. "Sir Meliodas. Lady Celeste. You can't be..." She whispers. "Why'd you attack him? That was never our plan!" Vivian tells Hendrickson letting the princesses go.
"Was it not? Now this man is entirely in your possession. Reduced to a corpse, he won't be able to run from you, ever again." Hendrickson explains. "But that's..." Vivian trails off with tears running down her face. "As if I'd ever... let you take him." Celeste breathes out raising her hand in Hendrickson's direction. "Uh-uh." He wags his finger at her stepping on her chest, causing her to wince trying to get his foot off. "Now then, I'm gonna make certain both of you are finished off, for good." Hendrickson says referring to Meliodas and Gilthunder, raising his hand and Hellblaze lights up on his palm. "That's enough!" Elizabeth says firmly, drawing everyone's attention to her. "As you wish. I'll agree to go with you. And in return, don't harm them anymore." Elizabeth tells him. "Elizabeth, no." Meliodas breathes out. "What are you doing?" Celeste asks through gritted teeth. "Elizabeth! Wait... what are you doing?" Margaret asks.
"There's a good girl." Hendrickson says stretching his hand out for her. "I was gonna take Celeste, but since you're volunteering, I guess I'll take you." Hendrickson tells her. "You can't... No! Please don't go! Elizabeth!" Meliodas begs. "Eliza--" Celeste chokes as Hendrickson applies more pressure to her chest. "Sir Meliodas. Lady Celeste... For once, let me protect you instead." Elizabeth smiles at the two. Hendrickson takes his foot off of Celeste's chest and takes a few steps away. "Shall we both take our leave then?" Hendrickson asks. "Please wait, don't let him do this to you!" Meliodas shouts. "Elizabeth let me go instead!" Celeste offers. "Sir Meliodas. Lady Celeste. That promise between us... Please don't ever forget it." Elizabeth turns to them with teary eyes.
"I made up my mind to search for the Seven Deadly Sins with you and to stop the Holy Knights. Even if you die somewhere along the way, I'll make sure to keep the promise I made to you!"
Meliodas and Celeste stare at the princess shocked. Hendrickson forms a wing made of darkness, wraps an arm around Elizabeth, and flies away. "Elizabeth!" Meliodas shouts watching them. "Hendrickson!" Celeste yells, raising her hand to shoot him down, but she stops, not wanting to risk hurting Elizabeth. Meliodas begins crawling away to find them while Celeste just lays on the ground staring up at the sky before dragging herself over to Gilthunder, healing both him and herself with Lightweaver's Grace, then she falls back down, staring up at the sky again.
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If you're wondering why Hendrickson stepped on Celeste, it's basically the Demon in him not like her since she's a Goddess. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
