Intruder's Identity

In Avalon, Mayor Gilbert, his wife Athena, the Tavern owner and his wife, along with Elaine and Ban, the tavern staff, and even the Reverend, are holding a toast to the completion of the new tavern, in less than a day. The bell rings and Meliodas enters, holding a couple of crepes filled with ice cream and fruit.

"Hey, are guys holding a toast without me?"

"Why wait for you Capt'n, you've been gone for hours;" Ban says with a smirk; "You barely lifted a finger when you were here."

Meliodas looks around the tavern, "Looking good, although not as nice as the Boar Hat."

Ban knocks his best friend on the head, forcing his face into a crape.

"That's right, you own a tavern don't you Meliodas?" asks Gilbert; "that travels around on a mysterious giant green pig am I right?"

Meliodas nods while licking the ice cream off his face. "Used to travel, but we lost that luxury. The tavern's now stationary in Lions, being managed by some friends of ours. Although I think they're using it more as a pharmacy then a tavern. I'll need to fix that when we get back."

"Well, a tavern is a pharmacy;" smiles Ban; "Alcohol's the best medicine around, am I right Capt'n?"

Meliodas gulps down the last crape and gives a thumbs up; "Absolutely Buddy."

Meliodas is handed a large mug and joins the toast. After chugging down the ale, the dragon sin belches loudly and puts his palm on his stomach. "All man, I'm stuffed! I need to sit down." He takes a seat and puts his feet up on the table, patting his stomach and burping again.

"Nice one Capt'n;" says Ban; "bet I could finally beat you in a drinking contest since you stuffed yourself silly."

Meliodas laughs. "I wouldn't bet on it buddy, and I'm not stuffed silly. (Hic-up) Well, maybe a little. By the way, where's Elizabeth, and Diane and King for that matter?"

Ban informs his captain of the situation. Meliodas seems to take it in stride and puts his arms behind his head, but he's very concerned. He certainly trusts Elizabeth and knows she can take care of herself, plus she's got Diane and King with her. Still, with that manic fireball on the loose, he just hopes they don't run into him, or her.

"Ban, if they're not back soon, I want to go out there myself. Will you take us Elaine?"

Elaine's reluctant at that request coming from Meliodas. "I will if you apologize for earlier."

The demon nearly falls out of his chair. "What? You're still sore about that? Come on Elaine it was just a joke. I'm very competitive."

"I didn't find it funny."

Meliodas just shrugs his shoulders and drinks some more ale. Twenty minutes later the door opens, and two priests come in with Willie apprehended. "Pardon the interruption Father, but we caught this stranger and one other snooping around the monastery library achieves. They stole one of the ancient maps we keep in the plate glass."

Meliodas takes his feet off the table. "Hey, it's one of those traveling actors with the speech impairment. I saw them earlier this afternoon. You guys should have been there, it was so freaking hilarious."

"Where's the second one?" asked the Reverend.

"He flew away. Sir, I want you to look at what he's wearing. They're the exact same clothes the fire intruder was wearing last night."

That gets everybody's attention. Meliodas is especially taken aback. He hadn't even noticed that the black robes were identical to those of the intruder.

"Meliodas;" ask Gilbert; "Did you say that you saw this guy earlier?"

"Yes;" the demon replies scratching head; "I thought they were a couple of traveling jokers. Oh, and I couldn't understand them, they have some kind of speech impairment."

The priests look at each other in disbelief. "It's not a speech impairment, Meliodas. He doesn't seem to speak nor understand our language at all. He must be a foreigner."

Gasps are heard all around the room. Foreigners, besides the kingdoms across the Britannian (English) channel, who usually keep to themselves, and the occasional Viking or pirate ships that occupationally come towards shore, are so rare in Britannia that not even Meliodas has rarely, if ever, knowingly encountered any (not including the demon and celestial realms, Purgatory, and the Sky Temple). The great majority of Britannians outside of the monasteries and abbeys are completely unaware that there are lands and civilizations far beyond their boarders.

One of the priests shows the Reverend the necklace Willie was wearing, which makes him upset as he tries to grab take it back. The Reverend studies the symbol.

"Hmm, I can identify this symbol. It isn't part of the Catholic Church, it's the symbol of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt."

"Where?" Ban, Melodias and others say in unison.

"Egypt?" says Elaine; "As in the legend of the Egyptian Princess Scotia who came to Britannia over 5,000 years ago?"

Melodias almost chokes on his ale, that's far older than him!

"Egypt?" ask Ban; "I thought that place was an ancient myth, or extinct."

"No;" replies the Reverend; "It's very real."

Just then a tap is heard on the window. What appears to be another black hooded figure turns out to be one of the monastery's messenger pigeons. They let him in, and he's covered with a cloak as if it just fell on him. Willie points hysterically at it, it's Herman's cloak. Objects are falling from the pockets, including THE LANGUAGE AMULET! Willie fights to get closer to it as the priests struggling to keep him restrained and says the magic words. A flash of light beams from the amulet and hits most everybody, blinding them, then the light beams go straight to Willie as he absorbs them.

"What just happened?" Meliodas and Ban say in unison.

Willie clears his throat and speaks; "Can you people understand me now?"

"Hey, how come we can understand you now?" ask Ban.

"Language amulet. That double-crossing meathead, he had it all along! I'd kill him right now if I could!" He struggles with his restraints; "Get me out of these things! He's got the map!"

"Let him go;" says Meliodas, surprising everybody except Ban.

"What did you just say Meliodas?" ask Gilbert.

"I said to free him. Don't worry, we won't let him do anything. I don't feel any threatening power from him anyway. He's weak."

Willie sneers at him as his restraints are removed; "You're that disgusting guy eating all those nasty pork things."

Meliodas grins; " And you're that guy in that sexy village girl dress who looked like you were about to throw-up. And those pork dogs were quite delicious by the way, I went back for seconds and thirds."

"How can you eat that unclean stuff?! It's not fit for human consumption!"

Meliodas laughs; "Well, I'm not human. Anyway, you seem tense, have a drink." He offers Willie the half-empty bottle he's been drinking. Willie smells it and knocks the bottle out of Meliodas' hand, who manages to grab it before it hits the floor.

"You're trying to poison me!"

"Poison you? It's just ale."

"That's enough, listen." The Reverend has the note from the pigeon; "It's from Princess Elizabeth. They've stopped the liquid fire flow, put out all the fires, healed everybody, regrew some trees and gave the fields regrowth a good start. However, she says there's some very hostile power coming from the far Northern Shores and they're going to investigate it."

"NURI!" yells Willie; "If Herman clashes with her, you can kiss this island goodbye!"

Everybody gasps, especially Meliodas; "Are you serious?"

"Deadly serious!"

"Ban, Elaine, I need to get Lostvayne, we must leave right now!"

"I have it Meliodas." Athena hands it to him.

"Thanks Athena. Elaine, can you take us up there?"

"We've got you covered;" says one of the priests. He goes outside and blows a whistle. A tamed Sky Manta arrives. The Sins are thrilled and thank him. However, they're departure is delayed as Meliodas is forced to make a bathroom run. Ban grabs Willie and throws him on.

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Zeldris holds Gelda as some of her blisters start to bleed. He takes what's left of her cape and wraps it around her body. She is in a lot of pain but maintains a calm façade. They watch the fight and Zeldris can tell that Merlin's holding back, way back, allowing herself to take bad hits.

Merlin, her cloak burned away and burns all over her body, looks up and makes eye-contact with the intruder; "Lilith, is it you?"

The intruder stops and raises her fire-filled eyes; "I barely recall that name, (Merlin's real name)."

It's Merlin's turn to raise her eyes. "It is you." The intruder replies by blasting Merlin again. This time, she half-heartily summons her perfect cub, and which barely holds together towards the end of the blast.

"I probably deserve your wrath..." Suddenly the intruder hunches over and coughs blood. Zeldris has stabbed her from the back.

"Zeldris, don't!"

"Why? Why are you holding back Merlin? She'll kill us."

Merlin tells the demon, shocking him beyond belief. "You're not serious!"

"Yes Zeldris, it's her. Please." Zeldris reluctantly removes his sword, and the intruder immediately starts to heal herself.

"Merlin quick, Gelda!" Merlin gets up and flies towards Gelda, who's now unconscious and still slowly burning from the outside in. Although she can't heal her, Merlin puts a temporary time freeze on Gelda and stops the spreading. Nuri heals her wound, sees Zeldris with Gelda, and once again lashes out at them, the attack clearly aimed for Gelda. Merlin activates Perfect Cube just in time.

"I don't get this. Why is she attacking Gelda? She keeps calling her a whore."

Merlin gasps hearing that; "Could it be, she's still carrying a torch for you after all this time?"

"What do you mean? I've never even meet her."

"You did, once."

Nuri attacks again at closer range, Merlin can barely hold Perfect Cube as the attack keeps increasing in strength. She reluctantly accepts that she must fight for real and tells Zeldris to attack simultaneously.

"Endless Whirl."

"Hellblaze Wave."

They trap Nuri, knocking her off her feet. Merlin quickly activates Perfect Cube around her. Nuri doesn't like this at all and prepares to erupt with increasing rage, then the barriers of Elizabeth and King appear, containing her blast.

"Merlin, Zeldris, Gelda!" Elizabeth lands, Diane and King just behind her.

"Sis-Sis."

"Elizabeth!" calls Zeldris; "Please, help Gelda."

The princess is horrified at the severity of Gelda's injuries and gets to work. She notices Merlin's and Zeldris' injuries as well and sends her healing powers towards them. Merlin looks at her fellow Sins. Diane greets her cheerfully, but King barely acknowledges her and looks away. They hear another explosion from the barrier, this time, Nuri isn't able to shatter the triple fortified barrier and collapses. Merlin then shockingly asks them to take down the barrier.

"Merlin, are you insane?!" ask King, "She's too dangerous."

"I need too. She's, my sister."

Diane and King are shocked at this reveal.

"Merlin, you've got a sister?" asked Diane.

"Of course, that raging psycho would have to be Merlin's sister;" adds King.

Elizabeth gasps; "Merlin, is that really Lilith?"

"Yes Sis-Sis. Take down the barrier, I must talk with her."

"I don't believe she's in a talking mood Merlin;" says King; "Besides I don't trust either of you."

"King;" says Elizabeth still healing Gelda; "I'm not saying I trust them either, but please take down your barrier and put it around us. I'll do the same."

"But Princess."

"King, do it;" commands Diane; "We'll step in if Merlin's in danger."

King relents; "Ok Diane, but I'm doing it to protect us. Personally, I think we should let them waste each other."

"King, don't you ever say that about our comrade again!"

King keeps his mouth shut and moves his barrier along with Elizabeth. Merlin slowly walks towards her long-lost sister, keeping up Perfect Cube. She gets within 4 feet of her and kneels down.

"Lilith, little sister, I'm here.'

Slowly, Merlin's sister raises her head and looks at her with a frown. Her hood now down and clothes completely undamaged, the face isn't exactly the one Merlin remembers. Her features are different, including the shape of her face, nose, and eyes. Her lips are fuller, skin a little darker, her previously violet eyes now brown, and her dark-blond hair now black and waist length. However, the unique expression in her eyes is the same, as is her familiar frown.

"Don't call me by a name I no longer know."

"What do you want me to call you?"

"None of your business, (Merlin's real name)."

"Please, call me Merlin. Sister, I've been looking for you all this time."

Nuri springs to her feet; "Why, to use me and betray me again?"

"I never meant..." Merlin stops, then a tear comes from her eye.

Nuri notices; "I....I can't forgive you, Merlin."

"I'm not asking for that;" Merlin deactivates the cub; "I'm ready to listen to you."

Nuri turns her back to the mage; "I've got nothing to say. Just go away, now before I change my mind."

"Howdy Nuri!" This causes her to growl as she sees Herman arrive.

"Not another one;" says King.

"Who's that, another one of Merlin's long-lost relatives;" ask Zeldris.

Elizabeth, having healed Gelda enough to bring her out of danger, stands up for a better look. "Merlin didn't have any other close relatives besides her father, I'm sure of it. Not even close cousins."

Herman speaks to Nuri in Egyptian Arabic, which Merlin knows from both study and personally visiting Egypt a few times. Never in her life would she have thought that her sister somehow reincarnated there. Her features definitely resemble those of an Arab.

"Kind of got the jump on us didn't you Nuri?"

Merlin now stands next to her sister; "Nuri, is it? Who is this?"

"A pest."

Herman gets much closer full of excitement; "So Nuri, I see you already dug a hole at Scotia's grave. So, do you have it huh, huh? Let me see it please please please."

"NO!" Nuri blast him away several feet. Merlin recognizes the name of Scotia and was about to ask about it when Herman gets up again and pesters Nuri. Again, she blasts him away. Again, he gets up and comes, Merlin intercedes him.

"(In Arabic) Who are you? What's this about?"

"Hey lady, it's personal. We're on a mission that's all. Looking for the Stone of..."

"SHUT UP!" Nuri blast him again.

Herman gets up again and activates his gravity power, pinning everybody down to the ground, also causing King and Elizabeth's barrier to collapse.

"What happened?" ask King feeling as if a whale is on top of him.

"Can't move;" says Diane; "Feel so heavy."

"He's magnified gravity;" informs Zeldris.

"Hey Nuri come on. No need for us to sprawl. I just want to see the stone and is all."

Nuri struggles against the gravity at first, but activates her powers, turning herself into a human size lava mass and explodes. This disrupts Herman's gravity control, causing Elizabeth and the others to be covered in ash. Nuri looks at Merlin and realizes that she's badly burnt and singed, barely conscious. Never intending to hurt her sister this badly, Nuri goes into a complete rage and charges at Herman.

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Meliodas, Ban, Elaine, and Willie fly through the sky on the Sky Manta. The ocean's not yet in sight, yet they can feel heavy disturbances in both the natural and mana atmospheres. The air feels heavier the further they go.

"How much further is it?" ask Ban; "We've been flying for nearly two hours."

"We should've been there awhile ago;" adds Meliodas.

The wind starts blowing harder, and the air feels thick. They all feel far beyond tremendous power coming from the distance and can make out an exploding fire ash cloud. The gravity also feels a lot heavier.

"They're fighting! That idiot! Come on slow poke, faster!" Willie slaps his hand on the manta, making him irritated and causing him to tilt sideways.

"Stop, you've got to be gentle with the creature;" says Elaine, gently stroking the manta.

"I hate to disappoint pal, but we're going slower;" informs Ban.

Willie slaps his head, he should've known. The manta does a little drop.

"Whoa, are we descending?" ask Meliodas.

"Herman you pinhead, turn off your gravity!" shouts Willie.

They can finally see the ocean, and a giant light shield goes up in the distance, blocking some of the explosions. "That's Elizabeth!" shouts Meliodas; "Is there any way to bypass this gravity?"

"If I knew I would've told you;" answers Willie.

"I'm sorry fellow;" the dragon sin says to the manta; "but we've got to get there now! Give it all you've got." With some encouragement commands, the manta does push harder and speeds up.

Suddenly, they can feel something strong coming their way, but from a different direction. They all look to see a giant lava ball heading right towards them.

"It can't be!" Willie kicks the manta; "Down ray down!" The manta barely avoids being hit and the lava ball blows off part of a small mountain inland.

"What was that?" ask Ban.

"It's an Iceland Vulacish! They feel Nuri's presence all the way in Iceland and aren't taking any chances!"

"Huh?" the sins say in unison.

"How?" ask Elaine; "The next big land mass is like thousands of miles across the ocean from what I've heard."

"900 miles to be exact;" replies Willie; "The Vulacish can feel each other's presence from 1,000 miles away! Their attacks can reach hundreds of miles as well. They're extremely territorial and hostile towards each other."

"What's a...whatever you called...;" before Meliodas can finish the question, another blast is coming their way. Meliodas drawls Lostvayne and leaps high into the air.

"Lostvayne, Scared Treasure Release." Meliodas quickly creates four clones of himself as the lava ball approaches him; "Full Counter." Again, unfortunately Meliodas is unable to reflect the attack and gets hit, crashing hard right into the manta, causing it to accidently drop everybody into the water, except Elaine who gets her flight just in time.

Ban's the first to surface; "Capt'n?!"

"I'll get him;" Elaine goes into the water and resurfaces a few seconds later with Meliodas. He coughs and catches his breath.

"Thanks Elaine. (Cough)"

"Hey, where's that other guy?" Ban sees some bubbles surface and dives, resurfacing with Willie.

"Don't let go of me. (Cough) I can't swim."

Ban had already let go of him; "Well, you're floating."

"That's different."

"Capt'n, what happened?"

Meliodas feels embarrassed. "Rats I forgot. It didn't work against her attacks either. He looks at the fairy; "Elaine, attack me."

Elaine's shocked; "What? Are you serious?"

"Just a small one, then get out of the way."

"Trust him, Elaine;" assures Ban.

Elaine relents and sends a small Miracle Wind at Meliodas, then ducks. "Full Counter." It works exactly the way it's supposed to, reflecting the attack. "Yes!" Meliodas makes a happy fist.

"What a minute, were you using a full counter?" ask Willie.

Meliodas is surprised; "You know about full counter?"

"If it's the magic only full counter, the Vulacish use way more than just elements of natural mana in their attacks. They use natural physical energies and anti-magic."

Meliodas' jaw drops; "You're not serious. No wonder I can't reflect those attacks. What's anti-magic?"

They can hear a giant splash nearby, spending elevated waves towards them. Then they can see a giant rock wall appear seemly out of nowhere blocking a large wave from coming ashore.

"Diane!" says Elaine.

"They crashed into the sea!" shouts Willie; "The next one could be worse."

A few seconds later, a loud boom is heard, and the group feels like their being pulled towards where the crash was with huge force.

"That idiot! He's created a whirlpool."

"Where's the sky manta?" ask Meliodas. They see him flying above. Ban reach the manta with a magic beam from Courechouse. "Hang on partner;" he tells Willie as they get hoisted up. Elaine uses her wind to dry off her wings then takes up Meliodas. Just when they thought they could breathe, another lava ball comes. Meliodas tells the others to attack with him simultaneously, only for Willie to reveal that he has no combat powers. They get the manta underneath the lava balls direction and jump into the air.

"Now! Divine Thousand Slashes!"

"Hunter's Fist!"

"Miracle Wind!"

They successfully dissipate the lava ball and land back on the manta, but then realize they are being pulled down. The gravity pull in the whirlpool is so strong it's pulling them into it from the air. The manta tips over and Meliodas falls off, falling towards the whirlpool, but an ark catches him just in time.

"ELIZABETH!" She's just above the gravity's pull and despite a struggle manages to lift Meliodas safely towards her. Diane and King combined their powers and spend a branch hundreds of feet long with Zeldris on it. He activates his Ominous Nebula and draws the remaining three plus the manta towards him, returning everybody to shore.

"What's going on here?" ask Meliodas still in Elizabeth's arms.

"That;" she points to Nuri and Herman as they continue to sprawl.

"That's enough!" King changes Spirit Spear Chastiefol into guardian and along with Diane attacks the two from behind, causing them both fall and catching them both. Willie runs to Herman as Diane puts him down and kicks him in the groin area. "You idiot! First you abandoned me then you fight with her AGAIN!"

"She started it, and I was going to come back for you." Ban grabs Herman from behind and restrains him.

Chastiefol Guardian lands with Nuri and restrains her, but she's quick to overpower it and frees herself. Only now everybody is surrounding her, weapons drawn. She wishes to do one last explosion but then her arm starts shaking badly, as if she's having a minor seizure.

"Looks like somebody's been away from the volcanoes too long;" Herman says in Arabic.

"Shut up!" Willie again kicks him in the groin.

Elizabeth gestures for everybody to stand down, walks towards Nuri with a water tin and kneels down. Nuri is breathing really hard and is visibly exhausted. Elizabeth gently urges her take a drink. Nuri looks into the goddess's kind eyes, finally remembering those eyes from 3,000 years ago. She accepts the water and takes a small drink. She semi-collapses from exhaustion and Elizabeth catches her.

"No more fighting. We can help you and Merlin if you'll let us. Please."

Defeated, Nuri gives a huge huff and reluctantly relents, gives a very slight nob.

"Merlin?"

Elizabeth points to the still unconscious Merlin and Gelda, most of their wounds having been healed, although their wounds were so deep it'll take a while for them to heal completely.

Suddenly a loud growl sound fills the air. Meliodas grabs his stomach and smiles sheepishly. "Sorry guys, I'm getting hungry."

"Again? Already? Seriously Capt'n!" Then Ban's stomach growls, as does most everybody's.

"Wait a minute;" says Willie turning to Herman. "Get rid of that whirlpool you moron."

"I will if you ask me nicely."

"Oh, good grief. Just do it."

"Hey what's this?" Meliodas picks up a bottle with purple stuff in it and opens it, thinking that it's food.

"NO!" Willie quickly snatches it from him; "Don't open this bottle, especially when it's not a full moon."

"What's the full moon have to do with it?"

BOOM! The whirlpool collapses, but not before the unstable gravity sends waves of sea water towards the group, splashing everybody and causing Willie to accidently drop the bottle. Some of the purple salt spells. "NO! Scoop it up! The gravity and mana are too unstable." But it's too late, as the sun has just about set and the not quit full moon starts to shine, the unstable environment triggers the purple salt, opening a vortex that engulfs everyone.

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Note: Merlin's true name has never been revealed in the series and is supposed to be un-pronounceable to humans. Nuria is a Hebrew origin name meaning "fire of the Lord", and also used in Arabic. Nuri is traditionally the male version of the name, but I like the sound of it better.

Also, Scotia is a real Scottish legend and her supposed real grave is a real marked located.