Zealot

Elizabeth was a weapon.

Her mother's weapon, to be precise, but a weapon nonetheless. She was cold and emotionless, exactly how her clan wanted her to be. She had been raised to kill; not to feel. If she felt, she wouldn't be as thorough in fighting in the war, and it would risk the chance of her hesitating in killing those both in and out of the fighting. That's right, she killed even those who had nothing to do with the fighting. When told to, she would kill civilians; rich or poor, young or old, unknown or famous. She did as she was told, and she was told to kill. She had no other use.

Elizabeth had no true understanding for good or evil. She wasn't taught the differences of the clans, besides physical features. She only knew to do as she was told. When a child, she was normal. She loved to laugh and play, she was kind and loving… But no one wanted that. Her mother immediately conditioned her out of that state. When she tried to be kind, she was forced to submit and be cold. When she wanted to play, she worked and trained. She spent every waking hour in training; learning to perfect her Arc, and how to have her wings obey her every thought. These were the easy lessons. After a while, they moved her on to weapons, before switching her to physical combat. She was trained in all areas.

Elizabeth didn't want to be a weapon, but that's what her mother made her for. The role of the Supreme Deity was passed on to those chosen by the previous ruler. Never before had a Supreme Deity had a daughter to pass the right onto. Elizabeth was the first princess of the goddesses, though none but their own clan knew that. The goddesses knew who she was, but they also knew of her purpose. Her mother would surely make her the next ruler, but for now, she was only created to fight. Being the daughter of such a great being, Elizabeth's power exceeded those of nearly half the Ten Commandments by the time she stopped feeling emotions. She stopped feeling by the time she was out of her early childhood. As soon as she was turned to the emotionless shell she was, her mother had the Archangels send her into her first battle.

By human views, she could have been around the age of eight, being tall enough to be considered ten. She had been told that the other clans had all banded together against the goddess clan, and that she must fight them all. An army gathered of about 300 soldiers, mixed between humans, demons, vampires, fairies, and giants. It had only been Mael and Elizabeth that arrived to the front. Mael set Elizabeth before them all and told her to kill them all. The army didn't have time to barrk their laughter before Elizabeth had crushed the skull of a giant, and stabbed all the hearts of a few demons. She killed them all in chaotic disorder that made the scene more gruesome to the eye than it was, which was saying very much as it was near horrifying. Going into the fight, she had worn a white dress with black tights. Leaving it, her shirt and wings had been dyed red with her victims blood.

Mael had been near ecstatic as he informed her mother how she had killed mercilessly. Her mother had grown a sickening smile, saying for the first time that she was proud of her daughter. Elizabeth hadn't reacted to the words though. The emotion they expected had been worked out of her long ago. She merely bowed and left for more training, but it didn't disturb anyone for more than a seconds thought. For a moment though, when her mother had told of how proud she was, Elizabeth had gotten the sudden urge to throw up. She knew in her mind that what she had done was wrong, but what was she to do? She was her mother's weapon, and nothing else.

The other clans knew of her, but only of her power. They didn't know the Supreme Deity had a daughter. They only knew that the goddesses had something or someone that was unbeatable when sent into battle. They didn't know her age, or her gender. They knew nothing about Elizabeth, until one fateful battle.

Elizabeth always fought solo. There was no need for backup, as she was never even hit. One day, Mael sent her to a city of wizards, Belialuin, saying they were likely to side with the demons, as a child had deceived her mother there. Elizabeth was sent to destroy everything, and kill everyone. The child was the main hit that she needed to kill. This was the one time Elizabeth failed. The child, Merlin, had expected the attack and left before hand. Elizabeth destroyed the city and killed everyone in it without remorse. When Merlin's father said she was too late, Elizabeth slashed his throat without a care. The city burned to the ground.

Merlin had gone to the demon clan and told them what she learned of her. Her name was Elizabeth, and she was the Supreme Deity's daughter. After her failure to kill Merlin, Elizabeth's mother had been livid for only several moments before recalling that this was Elizabeth's only mistake. SHe forgave Elizabeth shortly and told her to fix whatever mistakes had occurred. The next day, they had gotten word that she had been dubbed "Bloody Ellie" through all other clans, and the name had thus been adopted as well by the goddesses. Even the Archangels found it appropriate. They said it struck fear in others hearts upon seeing and hearing her. Elizabeth had only partially understood the statement.

Elizabeth continued to be sent out against troops, and she continued to kill without thought of what felt so wrong to her about it all. She knew it was bad, but she didn't know what bad was. She flew listlessly before the army of the day, and easily punctured their hearts and crushed their bodies to the ground beneath their feet. She didn't bat an eye to a fairy who pleaded with her, nor did she shed a tear when it was a mother whom she killed. Her own mother was the one who sent her out here to kill them, and she must obey the orders she was given.

This continued on for a year after Belialuin, when she was sent to the main front. The Archangels thought it was high time she fought the Ten Commandments, so that they may see where her power was. Elizabeth flew between Sariel and Tarmiel, just a few meters behind Ludociel and Mael. While the Archangels felt as though she wouldn't need their help, they felt that it would still be best if they accompanied her incase of emergency or to show her what she was to do exactly. Training was never anything like the real thing. When they arrived, the Ten Commandments were all there, with the child Merlin by the side of their captain. He stared up at theArchangels with indifference, but it still held emotions hidden behind it.

Mael smirked down to them from high up near the stormy clouds. "You all commit acts of suicide by coming here today." Sariel looked to ELizabeth and whispered to her gently, "We leave it all up to you Elizabeth. Your mother forbids us from helping or interfering unless you reach near death. Be sharp, especially around their captain; Meliodas."

Elizabeth didn't respond, but it didn't surprise them. Ludociel held out his hand for her to come forward with a small and encouraging smile. "Come on now. Remember what you are to do, Elizabeth."

The army spoke in hushed whispers at the name she was called by, and she didn't react in the least to the shocked and horrified looks of the Commandments and the child Merlin. Elizabeth flew down slowly to stand not far from the one who must have been Meliodas. He looked to her in horror. "You… You're Elizabeth?" Upon seeing it was a real question, she gave a short and tight nod of the head. The one not far behind him, with similar features besides his black hair, seemed to look up to the Archangels in a form of disgust and rage. "You send out a child to fight your battles?!"

A child? No, she wasn't a child. Merlin was a child. Small, filled with imagination and free will- a being that still held emotions. Elizabeth was not a child. Mael smiled to them wickedly, "Oh? Do you not wish to fight? I'm afraid that our 'Bloody Ellie' has her orders, and she won't stop until she follows them through. Besides, you brought the child of Belialuin out here, didn't you?" That's right. They shouldn't speak on her being a child when they had brought one right there in front of her.

Melascula narrowed her eyes towards Elizabeth. "Yes, but there's a difference. While Merlin appears a child, she isn't in age and maturity. She isn't here to fight either, so you rather have no excuse. As far as aging in your clan goes, she can't be older than a teenager."

Elizabeth looked to them in her natural blank state as Meliodas stared at her. Merlin shakily stepped forward, looking to Elizabeth in near panic. "E-elizabeth, is it? How, how old are you? Why are you fighting and killing for your clan? Why… Why did you come after to kill me?"

There was a silence from the Archangels, showing Elizabeth that they permitted her to answer. She opened her mouth and spoke in a dull and emotionless tone, showing them just how broken she was. "I am 16 years, 4 months, 19 days, 10 hours, and 52 minutes old. I fight and kill those I am ordered to fight and kill. I was ordered to kill you and all those inhabiting Belialuin by order of my mother. Reasons for such orders are irrelevant and unneeded to be known for actions to commence."

Zeldris managed to become even more pissed off at her answer. "The hell… You turned her into a fucking machine?! Is your kind really that screwed up?!"

Meliodas motioned for Merlin to stand back as he walked up to Elizabeth, noticing that she didn't tense or stand down upon his coming closer like others would have. When he came to stand close beside her, he saw the look in her eyes. They were dull and empty, holding nothing but the barried pain and torture her mother had inflicted upon her. He looked to her then in pity, an emotion she had never been shown before. "You're empty inside…"

For some reason, a part of Elizabeth wanted to go toward the blonde. His eyes, the way he stood, and how softly he spoke to her like no other had before… It was safe to her. She had never even felt safe in her own clan with her mother, and yet her mortal enemy since birth felt like a sanctuary to her upon meeting. She had to get closer. She had to be with Melio-

"Elizabeth!" Mael shouted out from before, "Attack!"

Her body acted on instinct.

Elizabeth silently called an Arc to her hand and launched forward, trying to hit Meliodas square in the chest, aiming for his heart. He saw it coming soon enough, and dodged backwards, just barely missing her hand. He was the first being to ever dodge one of her moves. Mael growled in annoyance upon the realization that while Elizabeth was skilled in every factor of fighting; he had forgotten that Meliodas was as well. While Elizabeth could possibly kill any of the other Commandments in a second, Meliodas was her equal.

The blonde caught onto the fact as well, and launched back towards the silver haired goddess. He managed to catch her from behind, locking her arms behind her in irritation. The Archangels understood that Elizabeth would have to focus on Meliodas, and they took this time to go after the other Commandments. Merlin created a barrier around herself at Zeldris' command, watching in panic as Meliodas tried to get ELizabeth to stop. He held her wrists tightly as she thrashed in his hold. He wings flapped all around, but his hellblaze was just as strong as they tried to ground the feathers. She continued to thrash, panic for once rushing through her mind as she thought of the punishment she would receive for losing in battle. That is; if she lost and managed to survive.

Meliodas growled in frustration as he continued to try and hold her still. "Elizabeth, listen to me!" She listened to him, but she continued to thrash. "Why are you fighting in this war?! Why are you listening to your mother without reason?!" She stilled for only a moment before her movements become more hasty to escape, though he noticed them become more trembled. "I- I… I have to! I must obey my orders!" She eventually broke free, her wings having escaped and hit him in the face to disorient him as she ducked and spun her leg to sweep him down. He fell to his back for only a second before springing backwards to his feet, and he threw his hellblaze forward to grab at her. The dark energy grabbed her hand and wings, holding her up as he tried to still her.

"Why? Why do you take orders from her?" Elizabeth tried to break free again, but this time she was unsuccessful. She glared down to him in a show of anger, but it wasn't done with effort. The emotions buried deep inside of her had woken and tried to climb back up, wanting him. Even if she could express those emotions right there, they wouldn't have been anger. She felt safe with him, and she wanted to keep the feeling. Elizabeth closed her eyes tightly, feeling a slight sting in her eyes. "I have to, she- she's my creator! I was born only for the purpose to fight and kill those who oppose my clan. No other reason! I am a weapon!"

Merlin stiffened in her protection, realizing what she had meant. "A weapon…"

Elizabeth opened her eyes again, her clans symbol now appearing brighter in her eyes as she turned her head to one of her hands encased in the hellblaze. The darkness started to glow white before bursting from the energy coming from her own hands. Meliodas looked in shock at her breaking through his powers as she shot an Arc to the other parts that held her still. Elizabeth fell halfway before her wings flew her high up above Meliodas, and she threw a huge Arc down towards him, not allowing him enough time to see it coming. His hellblaze sensed the attack though, and managed to block it from him, and he flew high up beside her. Elizabeth spun out of the way when he tried to grab hold of her again, and when his hand grazed over the skin of her arm, she was shocked that he hadn't used the opportunity to attack her.

As this back and forth continued, Elizabeth started to notice what he was doing. Meliodas wasn't attacking her. She would attack with everything she could muster through her thoughts to stop, and he would easily deflect her power shots and just try to pin her and have her still. He didn't try to harm her.

Elizabeth growled as the thoughts erupted in her mind. She took a sharp turn and flew down on him, switching the roles as she straddled his waist and held his arms to still at his sides. "Why aren't you fighting?!" She glared down to him, livid that he wasn't putting in his all, "Why won't you attack?!"

Meliodas was silent as he stared up at her, trying to read something that she didn't know was there. "...Is that what you want?" She froze. "My commandment is Love. If you really wanted to fight and kill me, you wouldn't have been able to shoot a single attack, or even muster enough strength to throw a normal punch." He easily noticed how her hands shook as her grip loosened in her shock. "I won't attack you, Elizabeth. At least not until I learn why your mother did all this to you."

She shook in her shock, before flying off of him as if repelled. She snarled as she clutched the sides of her head, a large and agonizing sting shooting through her mind. 'My commandment is Love'. She had been told for years everything about the commandments powers. She knew his by heart. She knew exactly what he had meant when he told her that. She had continued to attack him, and nothing had stopped her from throwing every punch and kick, every Arc and slap of her wings… the fact that she could land any of those hits meant that she didn't really want to fight him.

The fighting all stopped around them as Elizabeth shook her head in denial. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no-" Tarmiel caught her in his arms, looking to her face in fear and panic. "Mael! We have to return Elizabeth!" Their leader growled at the statement, "Absolutely not! Send her against the others if you must, but we cannot afford-"

"Mael!" Ludociel looked to his brother with a look of pain, "She can't function. We have to return her now." Sariel flew up beside his friend and Elizabeth, looking to the Princess with a crestfallen face. "She's in pain, Mael. She doesn't understand!"

Merlin gave a small hiss under her breath and looked to Zeldris and the other commandments. "Stop them! We can't let them take Elizabeth back to the Supreme Deity! They've brainwashed their own princess- if we allow them to do it anymore, she won't be stopped the next time she comes to kill!" Zeldris nodded and he and Meliodas rushed to the Archangels. Mael saw them just in time and threw them back enough with his own powers, flying up and grabbing Elizabeth coldly in his arms. "We retreat; for now. Just get her back to her mother!"

The four left with the pained Elizabeth in their grasp, back to the goddess world and their Supreme Deity.

Elizabeth hugged her legs close to her body as she rocked lightly in the dark. Her wings pooled the bed around her as she sat silent and confused. Water poured from her eyes, and her skin trembled with small tiny bumps pushing to the surface. She had never cried or felt cold before. Why was this happening to her? What was she feeling?

As Elizabeth sat in an emotional daze on her bed, her mother and the Archangels watched silently from the door, before closing it to leave her alone. Sariel frowned up to their queen. "What's happening to her? Can't you just redo the charm?"

The Supreme Deity shook her head. "It's too complex. It was easier when she was a child because her body was still developing roughly, and she was more open to what she didn't understand. Also, she's my daughter. The enchantment won't be nearly as strong as it was because her body is constantly flowing with more and more of my power she had taken when she was born. It grows stronger and stronger, and it will drain out the enchantment no matter what. I don't know how that wicked Demons' son managed to snap her out of it…"

Elizabeth knew. She couldn't stop thinking about it.

She didn't want to fight him. She didn't want to fight anyone. Her whole life, she had been told who to fight, and who to kill. She had lost all sense of emotions at such a young age, that she didn't know when she ever could want something. Did she want to fight? No. Did that matter to any of the other goddesses? No. Did it matter to someone else? … Meliodas. She didn't know if he really cared, but it had been enough. He wanted her to fight if she wanted, but not if she didn't. Elizabeth slowly came to a stop in her shaking as she thought on this. Maybe… he could help her?

Meliodas sighed as he trudged through the forest, Merlin trying to keep up at his heel. "Why did you do it?" "Hmm?" Merlin scoffed, "Don't you 'hmm' me, you know what I'm talking about!" Giving up on trying to catch up to his bigger steps, Merlin floated in front of him, making him stop walking. "Why did you break the enchantment on her?"

Meliodas had recognized the broken and dull look in Elizabeth's eyes. His own father had tried to do it to both him and Zeldris. He had managed to snap out of his own, but it had taken hundreds of years, and even still, he had problems with it when in Assault mode. He had helped Zeldris work out of it, and with both his and Gelda's help, his brother was free from the oppressive feeling and control. Merlin was thankfully free from the sickening thoughts, as the blessings she had received kept her from being brainwashed by either clans. Elizabeth though- she had obviously had it from a young age, and had been exercised in it for even longer. If it had been only a few more years, then Meliodas wouldn't have been able to break through to her.

"Because I knew how it felt, dealing with the pain alone. With how the Archangels were treating her and talking about her, then she probably never had anyone to help her feel anything. That was most likely her first time experiencing emotions in years." He continued walking, allowing Merlin to watch him with a small smile. "Sure. We'll say it's only that, and not the fact that I saw you eyeing her boobs~" He rolled his eyes at the comment and continued on. Of course he had taken notice to her chest; who wouldn't?! He won't apologize for appreciating the heavenly sight(pun was totally unintentional).

Merlin frowned suddenly, "The way she spoke… She called herself a weapon. Her mother bore her only to use her…" Merlin shook her head sadly as she turned and left him to his thoughts.

As he walked for a while longer in the forest, he noticed a slight presence following him. It could have been Merlin, but he would have suspected her easily, not to mention that why would she bother trying to sneak up on him when they spoke just minutes before. It could have been a small animal or something, but he could pick out that they were trying to hide their presence, and it was only due to his high senses and power that he was able to pick up on them. Meliodas walked a bit farther, taking occasional turns to see if they would leave. When they didn't, he knew that he could cross off animal. Zeldris wouldn't have cared to hide and would have just hit him atop the head as hello, and it wasn't Merlin… A goddess.

Meliodas walked a few more steps, a bit more into the open space, before he turned towards where he knew the goddess to be hiding. "Come out, I know you're there. Either leave now, or prepare to be beaten."

He gave the goddess a moment, before he saw and heard them shift out of their hiding place among the verdant plants. His eyes widened in shock when Elizabeth carefully stepped out into the open, looking to him with an air of nervousness. Her outfit was the same, but her body wasn't as stiff and punctual as before. She seemed a bit fidgety as her hands wrung behind her and her feet nervously kicked at the ground for a moment. Her eyes tried to avoid him before inevitably fixing on his own. Even from the distance between them, he could see that her eyes had abandoned her clans symbol for the time being, and she was free from her mothers enchantment.

Meliodas let go of his stance and his hands sat in his pockets as he offered a short smile, his eyes going to emerald green. "Hey," he wasn't deterred at her slight tense at his voice. "I see your mother let go of her little spell on you." She froze upon hearing that, and Meliodas immediately backtracked, realizing that that probably wasn't something he should mention at the moment. She probably wasn't used to the idea of having been brainwashed just about yet. "I-i mean, uhm, you know what? Scratch that. I'm an idiot, forget I said that part," he chuckled nervously as he made slow advances towards her, making them soft and careful enough so that he made it clear that he wasn't out to hurt her. "My names Meliodas, but you probably already knew that. It's nice to meet you Elizabeth, you know, on good terms."

He held out a hand to her in kindness and she paused before returning his smile with a small one of her own, taking his hand carefully to shake it. "It's… It's nice to meet you too…" Holy shit- Why was her voice so suddenly cute?! He didn't remember her sounding so soft and loving before, but then again, she was confused and trying to kill him. Meliodas smiled wider and dropped her hand after a moment. "Not that I don't mind or anything, but; why did you follow me out here?" He saw her tense for a moment, but she soon relaxed her body as she looked down shyly. "Uhm, I h-heard that… you were the one, the one to break my uh- my mother's enchantm-ment on me…?" He nodded and smirked when she smiled brightly at that and-Holy fucking shit he loved her smile. Elizabeth took his hands once again but now in gratitude. "Thank you so much, Sir Meliodas~" He chuckled at her gratefulness and pat her cupped hands, "No need to thank me, and there's even less need for you to add the 'Sir' at my name. If my brother heard that, he'd suspect that I bribed you into showing me any respect."

He convinced her to walk with him so that they could talk, wanting to know anything he could about her, now that she wasn't controlled anymore. He tried to ask her of her interests or favorite things, before having to help her decide on the answers to those questions as she had no idea herself. He took her immediately to Britannia, as it was the only place of somewhat neutral ground. Goddesses weren't as welcome there, but if they saw she was with him, then it would be alright. He took her to a town called Vaizel. There, he tried to help her find out what she liked. Upon entering a shop, it was discovered that her favourite color would be pink, as she thought it looked cutest and best with clothes and ornamental objects. He bought her another outfit after hearing that she always wore the same thing of white and black, and while he wasn't much better himself, it sounded sadder coming from her.

He bought her a pink crop top shirt the head frills and was buttoned up. There was a navy blue tie and skirt that came with it, as well as a belt, the shoes, and sock. She twirled in front of the mirror and laughed happily. "Thank you so much, Sir Meliodas!" He nodded to her happily, before noticing that her wings were… gone. Meliodas blinked a few times, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Uhm, Elizabeth? Where uhm, where are your wings?" "Hmm? Oh! I put them down while I changed. I thought it would be better, as goddesses aren't as welcome here." Oh, so her wings worker similar to his hellblaze. That made sense, he supposed.

Meliodas took her around to a bar he frequented often with his brother. When he gave her a cup of ale though, she seemed to have mixed feelings to it. She loved the smell of it, but she didn't trust that it tasted as sweet as it smelled. "Will I like it?" He adored how much she already trusted him, and he couldn't find it in him to lie to her as he first did with his brother and Merlin. "Honestly? Heh… You may hate it on your first cup. Everyone does. People usually only start to like alcohol after a while." Elizabeth had gained the most adorable pout as she asked if he liked it and it was somehow even more cute when she drank it upon his saying yes. He was right. She hated it. He laughed at the pinched face she grew and just ordered her a fruity drink before she could force herself to be tortured with more of it.

By the end of the day; her favorite color was pink, her favorite food was apple pie, drink was whatever the hell he ordered for her after her having ale, animal was a piglet(it was ironic as the vermin all seemed to have it out for him and his life), and her favourite thing in the world was him. If he were anyone else, he would try to be selfless and have her change her last answer, but Meliodas found that he was a selfish and perverted bastard when it came to Elizabeth, so he didn't object. When it became late, he knew that she would have to return home before the goddesses tried to send a search party. Upon saying goodbye, the incredible happened.

Meliodas remained rooted to the ground in his shock as Elizabeth cupped his cheeks, kissing him warmly. It only lasted a moment, as she pulled away to smile at him, "Earlier, I had asked one of the ladies in the clothes shop how people said thank you in other clans, and she said that we seemed like a couple or something, and said that I should do that-" Once Elizabeth left, Meliodas was going back to the store and giving that lady the entire treasury as a tip "-as my way of thanking you. I enjoyed my time for once in, well; ever! Thank you so much, Sir Meliodas~" He couldn't even find it in him to argue on the 'sir' part, and closed his eyes happily as she kissed him again. Was it wrong of him, as she obviously didn't understand what a kiss really was? Most likely, yes. Did he care though? Hell no, he didn't give a shit! She was a literal angel and he wasn't about to give this up. Meliodas held her close and tightly to his body as he returned the kiss tenfold, having her open her mouth as he devoured her. He could faintly taste her drink from earlier, and god did he love it.

When they pulled away, he told her he loved her. Of course, she didn't understand what he meant. He chuckled and kissed her cheek. "You'll learn~"

A/N:

Yay! I updated and finished!

Please review!

Also; tell me if you think I should do another A-Z Melizabeth story :)