Hey Guys - I know it's been over a year since I posted. I will save the excuses and just skip right to the part where I tell you all how amazing you guys have been in the last year. The number of people messaging and reviewing, asking me to continue, telling me how much you've loved the story, it's kept me going. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out if I was going to continue this or not, but I can say without a doubt that I will be taking this to completion. I also promise not to disappear for a year.

So thank you again. This is the best fandom a girl could ever write for.

I hope you continue to enjoy this (oftentimes VERY DELAYED) adventure!

Chapter 33: The Heat Of Battle

Merlin had been a part of many battles in her lifetime. She'd seen conquest. She'd helped lead crusades.

But this battle would mark her memory for as long as she was alive - the 'Battle of Innocents' is what she would forever call it as she and Gowther worked tirelessly to combat the effects of War's power over the mindless civilians she'd turned into make-shift warriors.

And the enemy was playing dirty again. Merlin had been careful not to fall into the same trap she had before – using Absolute Cancel to release War's influence. She knew that beneath the citizen's mindlessness, lay the murderous madness they'd encountered in Sudbury.

And this time, they didn't have Elizabeth's healing abilities to aid them. One of the many oversights her dear captain had when deciding to send the princess away…

But, that was in the past now. She couldn't hold grudges right now. Her task meant that she poured all her focus into saving the kingdom's people. Without a healer, she was left with one option. They'd have to get rid of both influences at once to avoid as many casualties as possible.

Which meant while she worked to figure out how best to do that, she and Gowther were playing defense, providing long-ranged support for the army of Holy Knights and confusing or debilitating as many puppet soldiers as possible.

But the waves just kept on coming. Even Merlin – a mage with power unknown to any other, was beginning to feel the strain. How many people had the Horsemen enslaved to fight their unjust war? Too many. Men, women and children – all taking up the sword to fight the Holy Knights. It was almost unbearable.

"Knock out as many as you can, Gowther," She instructed, erecting a barrier around a group of knights being overwhelmed to her right. All knights had been instructed to use as little force as possible given that these were civilians.

But that generosity was not returned, of course. The puppets would deal whatever fatal blow they could when possible.

Without a cure to Famine's madness, Merlin's hands were completely tied. No doubt the horsemen's plans from the start. Merlin was the only one who could counter-act War's powers as a mage. Keeping Merlin from doing any real good in this war would prove to be a highly strategic move on their part.

Their only hope now was in defeating the Horsemen.

"KING!" Diane called, throwing her giant hammer to the ground with all the force of a mighty earthquake. The earth shook from her strength, shooting up spires of bedrock and summoning forth golems of her closest friends. All of which had their sights on their target – War.

King summoned Chastiefol's fourth form with a cry, "Fourth form – Sunflower!" a wave of his hand had the giant flower blooming forth, opening and charging it's beam of light.

War – the puppet master – whatever the deranged woman was going by now, stood her ground, eyes alight in frenzied bloodlust, "Good! I was hoping you'd come with new tricks!" She chuckled as she danced effortlessly around the attacks of golem replica alike, then materializing her own flaming sword with just enough time to use it to block the incoming blast.

King cursed her power and the equally aggravating arrogant grin she gave him as she lowered her weapon, completely unscathed. She was playing with them – and it pissed him off to no end.

He genuinely hated her. It was hatred that ran like venom through his veins. He hated what she'd done to Diane, making them fight each other. He hated how terrified he was of the woman. He hated everything she was and stood for.

War had to be defeated. And he swore that he and Diane would bring that judgement down upon her if it was the last thing he did.

The replica Diane had made of Elizabeth and King encircled her, intent on trapping War where she stood, but were cut down by an expert swing of the sword in War's hands.

"Those are two of my more powerful ones!" Diane growled out, poised for another heavy attack with her hammer, more annoyed that they hadn't even had a chance to attack before the woman had destroyed them.

"Don't lose focus, Diane!" King encouraged, transforming his spirit spear into waves upon waves of kunai; hurtling them at the horseman with deadly accuracy. He wouldn't take any chances by holding back this time. War was stronger than they'd known and underestimating her the first time meant they'd been turned against one another.

There was a sinister chuckle from the woman that carried on the air like a perfume as fire began to flare and spread all around them and over the battlefield. "Yes… wouldn't want a repeat of last time, right?" she cooed, completely untouched by their unrelenting attacks.

Black smoke billowed into the sky and over the battlefield, quickly enshrouding everything around them in a fog so thick it was unnatural. The way it engulfed everything around him and blocked out the sounds of the furious battle King knew was taking place.

But, more importantly, completely obscuring his target.

"Wh-where did she go?" the fairy king swung around blindly, unable to sense any presences in the smoke. Not Wars. Not Diane's.

Not anyone's.

It was like he'd been transported to a different world where he was completely alone. "Wh-what's going on? Diane? Diane, can you hear me?" He called out, hovering closer to the ground to avoid the massive plumes of black.

The heat from the flames raging on the ground was blistering. He felt them lick and sear his skin as he wandered too close. When had the flames grown so out of control?

"Diane!" King choked out, couching against the putrid air.

He should have been able to see her from here. Why couldn't he find her?!

"Diane! Please answer me!" He screamed again, terror creeping through him as he spun around, finding nothing but the building flames War had unleashed.

This was hell. The earth was scorched beyond recognition, blazing with fires so intense, King could barely stand them – but it was dark. Utterly and completely. The plumes of smoke had risen to blot out the sky above and the lands around him.

"King?" Diane called, glancing over her shoulder at the immobile fairy king.

She'd brought her hammer down on the Horseman, being expertly parried and sent skidding backwards despite their size differences but was surprised to find there was no follow-up assault. King hadn't attacked, despite his spirit spear poised at the ready.

"King? What's wrong?"

King was still as stone. His face was emotionless as he floated in place, hand reaching out as if frozen before he could command his weapon.

Diane growled, gripping her hammer's hilt tighter in her hands as she turned a glare on War, "What did you do to him?" She demanded, sprinting forward and swinging at the mad woman.

That demented grin returned to War's face just before Diane's hammer was about to impact. An impact that never came as Gideon came to a sudden jerked halt.

Diane's amethyst eyes went wide. Gideon had been stopped by Chastiefol's Guardian form – a burly and terrifying version that snarled at her, "W-what?"

"Are you really so surprised?" War chuckled, shouldering her flaming blade as a stone-face King came to float between Diane and their target, effectively blocking any additional attacks.

"B-But… how?! King is so much stronger than I am! How could you possibly control him!" The giantess felt angry tears start to well up on her, but she refused to allow them to fall. "You couldn't even completely control me the last time!" Diane shouted, recalling having full awareness while her body was controlled by someone else.

War hummed in response, a curious look on her face, "Hmm… I wonder?" She asked sarcastically, reveling in Diane's frustration and fear. "Now then, I think it's time for some real entertainment."

With a quick wave of her hand, King was in full attack mode on the Giantess – driving her back as she avoided his spear flying at her and clashing relentlessly with her hammer, "KING! Please! You have to stop!" Diane cried out, using her strength to push off his attacks.

She didn't want this. It had torn her up to have attacked him while under War's control the first time they'd fought her. This was worse. This was beyond her worst nightmare, "I-I don't want to fight you, King!" Those tears that had been held back now trickled down her cheeks. But her pleas did not reach him as he flicked his wrist to change his spirit spear's form, unleashing a rain of daggers on her and making her run and dance to avoid them. Some, she had to deflect to protect any innocent bystanders.

"You're pretty fast on your feet, Giantess. Color me impressed." War clapped giddily, watching on like a demented spectator, confirming for Diane that War had planned on putting anyone she could in danger if it meant hurting the two of them.

Diane growled under her breath as she readied herself against yet another onslaught, jumping in front of another flurry of King's kunai to protect the knights fighting around her, "Your fight is with us!" She demanded, "Stop fighting dirty and take me on like a real woman!" she hissed, finding the acid in her words encouraging.

The giantess wasn't the strongest or the smartest member of the seven deadly sins, but she sure as hell wasn't the weakest, either. Her strength came from the confidence and trust her friends put in her, because of the determination she had to protect the people she loved. She was stronger because she fought her own battles. "You make everyone else do your fighting, like a coward! The truth is, you're actually useless, aren't you?!"

Diane pushed through the reformed Guardian's blockade and rushed War at full sprint. Pivoting on her hip to throw all her weight into the hit. But, again, there was no connection. This time, though, King and his spear were still; unmoving from where she'd rushed past him.

"Real woman?" War ground out with a scoff, the flames engulfing her blade coming up to lick Gideon where they held at a stalemate. "You think that's what you are? Please. DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!" War spat, the venom in her tone harsh as she pushed Diane off with more force than she'd used before.

The giantess caught her footing, rebalancing her stance as realization dawned on her.

She'd touched a nerve.

This was the most effort and emotion she'd seen the woman put into fighting her since their first fight so long ago – and even that had been a ruse.

Or had it?

"As if a worthless pethetic wretch like you could ever measure up to someone like me." War boasted, but her usual calm and callous demeanor was now laced with contempt, disgust even.

Diane's grip on Gideon tightened, but this time, she did not rush her opponent. Instead listening and watching.

It was something she'd thought out loud earlier that was staying her hand now. How could someone like her control someone as powerful as King? And why wasn't she controling Diane this time? What had changed? Why could War not completely control Diane's will in their last match, but have completely overwhelmed King and use him as a puppet?

What was the difference?

The time since they'd clashed last?

Power maybe? It was because Diane was weaker than King that she assumed it was the reason War had been able to control her before. But King was still so much stronger. That hadn't changed.

What was it?

Back then, the first time they fought, they hadn't known she was a Horseman. Just the puppet master. And she'd been weak. Or at least seemed weak.

Her power, living puppet, while dangerous, had it's limits. But what she seemed capable of now was so far beyond that.

Her eyes slowly began to widen as the pieces pulled together. They're two different powers.

That had to be it.

War was a Horseman of the apocolypse, but if fighting her the first time around proved anything it was that she was also human. She could be beaten. She was as afraid of death as anyone on a battlefield – why else would she flee when defeated? Why else would she distance herself from the fighting?

When they'd fought the first time, the power she'd used to take control of Diane's body, that had to be living puppet. It only worked because at the time, Diane had been weaker, and the Puppet Master's puppets on the battlefield had been taken care of by Merlin and Gowther.

That's why she wasn't controlling her now! She was over-extending her power to control all of the individuals on the battlefield.

But that didn't explain why she could suddenly control King. That had to be where the power of the horsemen came in. But how was she using it?

Do try to survive, I have special plans for the two of you…

That night in Sudbury – the madwoman had spoken to them directly. This was what she'd meant about special plans, right? She was going to have them turn against eachother, but why? Why them? Because they'd seemingly beaten her in Direneth?

No, that didn't seem right… or did it?

Diane thought back to the times they'd gone against her. Direneth and Sudbury. She'd been the Puppet Master's victim in Direneth… and Sudbury… it had been the Captain. The captain had been fine until they'd reached the clearing and he suddenly went berserk after the madwoman had snapped her fingers.

Then it hit her, as she watched as King moved to float between them once more, watching his glazed eyes and stone-like features – there had to be something they both had in common that would allow her to take control like this.

Why would you let her take over you, King? Diane swallowed thickly as she braced herself for the next wave of attacks from her opponent and the love of her life. Why would you let her do this to you when you hated what she'd done… when you hate her so much for… what she did.

All at once, the puzzle pieces fell into place.

"Hatred." Diane mumbled softly, watching the pull of War's brow.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. You should speak up."

Diane's grip on her hammer tightened and wrung around the handle, "I know how you did it… I figured it out. It's Their hatred. Their anger that allows you to control them."

The grin faltered on the madwoman's face, and that was all the confirmation Diane needed.

And it all made sense. Why she targeted them. How she was able to make the captain lose control. The purpose of the woman's actions in Sudbury. It was to fester anger and hatred. A perfect breeding ground for her power as a horseman. King was an easy target – he hated the woman for everything that had happened and how she'd controled the giantess in Direneth. And turning him on Diane, well that was to guarntee that she too would fall victim to her power. She wanted the giantess to hate her… to be consumed by rage and allow for that woman to take control.

A small smirk formed on Diane's lips as she regarded her now, "I was right. You really are useless aren't you?" She basked in the frown that now made its residence on War's lips, "Your power only works as long as your intended victim is driven by hate and rage and despair."

It was odd how quiet it became between the two of them despite the war raging around them, but that silence was quickly broken as War's frown turned back up and a chuckle escaped her and she clapped her hands, "Congratulations," She sneered, "You figured it out. Good for you. It's cute that you think that knowledge is going to save you, though."

The giantess readied herself, her own grin never leaving her face as her confidence swelled, "Knowing how your power works means I can not only avoid it, but I can reverse it too."

There was a boisterous laugh that filled the battlefield, "Oh you think so, hmm? No one has ever broken my spell, and your precious fairy is so deep in my control, I could order him to slit his own throat and he wouldn't even choke as he did." A carnal look entered War's expression as she beckoned King closer to her, "Shall we test it?" She asked, draping her arms over the fairy's shoulders.

Diane swallowed hard, forcing all the building fear and anger down, keeping her gaze even with the woman draping herself over someone who didn't belong to her. "I'm not stupid – I know you're only trying to rile me up. Your goal this whole time was getting control over both of us."

War rolled her eyes, "You are so pointlessly driven aren't you. Fine, yes, I had intended to add you both to my collection." She trailed her fingertips over King's face, "Imagine it, the Fairy King and Giantess destroying the lives they used to save?" She chuckled as she licked her lips as if able to taste her ambitions in the air, making Diane shiver before those terrible eyes were turned back on her.

"Unfortunately for you dear, I only need one of you." The woman released the fairy's shoulders, crossing her arms as she regarded Diane now, "And I grow tired of your existence. Get her out of my sight!" War commanded, grinning like a snake as she flicked her wrist and King was attacking again – this time the barrage of attacks unmerciful and intent on the kill. For every attack, Diane managed to block or counter, there was another to follow it up that landed, driving her further and further back.

Until Diane was barely standing, panting and trembling in her exhaustion.

It wouldn't take much more before this was all over; she was barely hanging on as it was. And it took everything in her not to let that anger – that rage to fill her and fuel her to fight.

But that would mean she would win. Allowing War to take control of her once more.

No. She refused to do this. She refused to be used by this mad woman. She refused to cause the man she was in love with any more harm. She would have no part in War's game.

King raised his hand, his spear's form having shifted again and aimed straight at her. Ready to unleash the killing blow.

His face hadn't once changed their entire battle – those stone-cold features, though, didn't look so emotionless to Diane anymore. He looked so… lost. Like all the other puppets she saw on the battlefield; their eyes, while distant and fogged-over, looked like they were wondering through a darkness they couldn't escape.

Diane shook her head, "I'm not going to fight you anymore, King." She smiled softly at him though she was afraid he couldn't see her in this state, but maybe… just maybe he could still hear her, "I just… can't."

War chortled just behind the fairy, "So you've finally given up."

The giantess never once looked away from the man she held so dear to her heart, once more shaking her head softly in response, "No, I would never do that. I'm not ever going to give up on King. I'm just choosing not to fight him anymore."

War scoffed, sneering at her, "Call it whatever you want, but your time is up." Another wave of her hand and King was moving at her command, "Destroy her, now."

The fairy king moved but the slightest bit to instruct his spear to hurl towards its target, and with resolution in her heart, Diane tossed her hammer away, opening her arms to accept King's frontal attack.

"Oh I've been itchin' for another round with you~." Ban sang arrogantly, swinging his three-pronged staff menacingly as he and Escanor faced off against a dead-eyed Pestilence – or Tessa as the captain had begun calling her.

Ban didn't give two shits what the bitch's name was. She was the enemy. He'd seen her there on that cliff after the princess brought the captain back to his senses. She was there. She'd been a part of that massacre.

What pissed him off the most right now, though, wasn't her deeds as a villain. He had been considered a 'villain' more than a few times in his very long life. And while he wanted nothing more than to wring her scrawny little neck for all the bad shit she'd done – what he detested most right now, was that dull uninterested look in her gaze.

Like she wasn't here picking a fight. Like they weren't even worth her time.

A sentiment she vocalized in a deadpan tone, "The feeling isn't mutual."

It wasn't that he hated how uninterested she seemed, Ban realized, as his blood boiled. It was that she looked like all the other sorry SOBs who'd been brought here to fight against their will.

He hated that he felt the least bit sorry for her.

Because this bitch was beyond feeling sorry for. She deserved everything she was about to get and then some.

Meliodas had charged the field with everyone else the moment the battle had begun, his intent clear to everyone fighting with him – he was going to destroy Atlas if it was the last thing he did. No one else was to interfere. They'd only get in the way.

And they'd found each other almost immediately in the clash, picking up their battle from Direneth without missing a beat.

Turning his green emerald eyes blacker than night and allowing the spiraling symbol of his demon heritage to appear above his right eye, Meliodas wasn't going easy on the madman. But it wasn't even the least of what he wanted to unleash on the bastard who'd done so much damage. But this much of his strength would have to do for now. There was no telling what would happen or who would get hurt if allowed any more than that at present.

Though, by the way this fight was going, he was very quickly running out of options.

"Quite the interesting transformation you have there, Dragon Sin." Atlas chuckled darkly, swinging his scythe in his grip easily, advancing on the blonde, intent on giving him no reprieve. Matching him blow for blow, "I believe you attempted this form when we fought before. Though, I dare say, you didn't fare much better."

Acid filled the captain's veins at the reminder of the stalemate that Meliodas would almost count as a loss for both sides. Both sides had retreated after taking significant damage. Atlas from Meliodas' "full counter" and Meliodas from Atlas' scythe.

Elizabeth's face flashed in the demon's mind, and he pushed her out of focus. Thinking about her only made him want to unleash everything he had on this bastard. But he couldn't control that form right now. He could barely control himself now with the limited power he'd allowed himself. Releasing everything could mean devastating casualties.

Another Danafor.

Meliodas shook all those thoughts from his head, readying his sacred treasure in his grip, a movement that made the prince grin wickedly.

And then they clashed.

Their movements furiously fast – blades striking like lightning, sending sparks flying with each collision, with the booming sound taking moments afterwards to thunder over every other fight on the battlefield.

Atlas was even faster than the blonde remembered – his speed most likely altered by Amit's rare ability to allow him the alter the flow of time around him. Which meant the bastard had claimed more victims with that damnable scythe.

A pulse of rage allowed more of Meliodas' dark power to seep throughout his body unintentionally, but he welcomed it. It gave him just a little more speed, a little more mobility, a little more of something to drive his desire to end the madman before him.

If he was going to lose himself, he'd be sure to take Atlas to the pits of hell with him.

Just a little further.

She had to run just a little further.

Elizabeth's lungs burned, legs cramping in protest in her exertion as she pushed just a little harder to sprint down the road. She'd been running for some time now. Avoiding all manner of mob and explosion along the way as she tried to navigate unfamiliar streets of the town.

Streets that branched to others, escaping buildings crumbling around her as the chaos took its toll on wood, stone and brick alike, and new additions to the mob hunting her down.

A few times, she'd thought she'd lost the mob again, safe to take a moment's breath, only to be chased by another crazed man looking to cut her down with whatever weapon was handy.

"EELLLIIZZAAABEEETTHH!" The maddened cry pulled her from her thoughts, giving her heart the jolt of fear and adrenaline she needed to keep running.

A mad sprint that she nearly didn't stop in time to avoid the sudden appearance of a sword swinging at her from a man ahead. She skidded, scrambling to get her feet beneath her to propel herself away from his next swing and down the road to her right.

A road that ran right into a brick wall.

"What? A- Dead end?" Elizabeth panted as she stumbled to the end of the road she's sprinted down, placing her hands on the building's bricks to steady herself and catch her breath.

She'd been positive this road would lead to another. Now she'd have to back-track.

Turning around, though, proved that her quick reflex decision was going to be her undoing.

The road back was blocked by the mob of men slowly closing the gap.

The silverette looked around frantically for anything, but to no avail. There were no windows to jump through. No ways for her to climb the walls of the buildings making up her cage. She was trapped.

"NO MORE RUNNING." The men all said in unison, speaking – no – mocking her as a single voice.

Elizabeth pressed herself against the building, wishing she could just phase right through it, "Why… why are you doing this?" she asked breathlessly. There had to be a reason for all of this. A reason for destroying this town and the lives here. Why were they so determined? What had she done to warrant this?

"TIME TO DIE…" They were upon her now. No answer to her pleas.

This was it. This was where she would meet her end, then. And the mere thought made tears stream down her face. Every limb trembled in both fear and exhaustion.

She was scared. She didn't want to die – no one really does. And it hardly seemed fair. She had no idea what she'd done to deserve to die like this.

But, for some reason, she felt the faintest glimmer of hope in her chest, too, mixed with the fear and uncertainty of death. A silver lining of sorts.

Sure, she would be killed – but her sacrifice meant that many others would be saved. If whoever was doing this got what they wanted… it meant they'd leave these people alone, didn't it?

It meant she wasn't useless. She'd given those others a chance to run to safety. She could be okay with this – she told herself, despite the ache and increased trembling that accompanied the thought. She gripped her fists tightly, hoping to stop her body from shaking.

She could be okay with dying as this new woman who wanted to protect people.

Despite that, being okay with being a martyr didn't mean she was any less terrified.

But she'd do it. If it meant protecting the people.

… For once… let me protect you instead.

She didn't even flinch at the wave of pain in her temple this time, as an unfamiliar voice from an unfamiliar memory, filled her head. She also didn't question it. She merely allowed the corners of her lips turn up as she felt a now-familiar longing flow through her and calm her tremors if only just a little. Maybe, once upon a time, she'd said those words to someone she loved. Someone who'd always come to her rescue.

Emerald eyes flashed in her mind and she couldn't help the small chuckle that the memory brought to her. Her final moments and here she was, pining over the man who'd sent her away.

But, she guessed, it was alright; to give herself this moment of truth before she was killed. A truth she'd been fighting and coming to terms with over the last couple of weeks. The truth she hadn't had the courage to speak before the sin captain had made up his mind. A truth she'd been ignoring and calling anger since she'd been caught up in the chaos that was bearing down on her now.

She'd fallen in love with Meliodas. She didn't just want to be of use to him, she wanted to stand by his side. Protect him the way he'd put himself on the line to protect her.

Those tears fell heavier now at the loss she felt. She'd never be able to go back and tell him. And that hurt worse than knowing she wasn't long for this world.

The footfalls of the mob stopped, and Elizabeth looked up through her tears to find them poised. Weapons of all kinds ready to strike her down.

This was it. Too late to regret things left unsaid.

Elizabeth swallowed, taking a long shaky breath, scared, but ready to face judgment.

The men around her swung down at her all at once.

"ELIZABETH!"