"Where is the enemy?!", L'Arc shouted as he and his troops arrived at the Eastern Gate, "I don't see them, have they already breached the walls?!"
Looking around the immediate area for signs of an attack, L'Arc sent men onto the walls to survey the surrounding area. While they took a look, the King called out to the guards who were stationed there to get up to speed. Expecting them to come marching out as a group, he and everyone around him were taken aback when they saw them carrying one of their own out of the gatehouse. Seeing the man in handcuffs and bawling like a baby, his fellow guards looked annoyed by his behavior.
"What is going on here?", L'Arc demanded, "Why is this man in chains, did something happen?"
Tossing the man at his feet, the guard knelt down and bowed their heads. Apologizing for the false alarm, the gatekeeper informed him that the man was the one who rang the alarm bells. In addition to that, when they tried to restrain him he lit a neighboring home on fire forcing them to prioritize it over him.
"I…I understand, thank you for doing so. Had the fire spread this could have been a catastrophe.", he applauded them before turning to the handcuffed guard, "Why did you do this? The alarm bells are only to be sounded during an enemy attack, you caused a lot of unnecessary panic throughout the capital. What is the reason behind doing this?"
Glancing up at his King with a devastated expression, the man came clean about why he did it. He knew a lot of people were going to die because of his actions, and the guilt was eating him alive.
"My King and friends…I…I am sorry!!", he cried as he looked at them, "They have my daughter, they were going to turn her into the Living God's playtoy if I didn't do as they say!! Vermillion ordered me to ring the bell and bring everyone here to weaken the defenses."
]It took a moment for what the man was telling them to sink in. Feeling an overwhelming sense of rage that one of his guards had sold the city out, L'Arc grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him into the air. Telling him that their promises were empty, L'Arc told him that his daughter was almost certainly dead at this point. He had already read the intelligence reports about what was going on in the Temple and knew the Living God was going through women like a Dward in a draft house.
"Where are they really attacking from?!", L'Arc shouted at him, "Tell me this instant, thousands of lives are hanging in the balance!"
"The Southern Gate…", the man told him as he braced himself to die here.
Realizing that they were aiming for the civilians instead of the military, his anger boiled over. Adjusting his grip on the man, L'Arc began to crush his windpipe as the man's survival instincts caused him to flail around trying to escape. Grabbing her comrade's shoulder, Therese knew that they had no time to delay if they were to save lives.
"I know you want him to pay for his crimes, but now isn't the time. The longer we stand here the more time they have to kill civilians. We need to get moving now!", Therese stated in a firm tone, "Come on!"
Throwing the guard to the ground, L'Arc ordered the guards to take him to the dungeon for committing an act of treason. Turning to Meliodas and Zeldris, he told them to take their groups and head out ahead of them. Just in case the man was lying to their faces, he would confirm that the other two gates were clear before joining them. Nodding their heads, the two brothers took off running as fast as they could toward the Southern Gate.
"This is why I told you not to place your trust in humans!", Zeldris spat in frustration, "I agree that being subservient to that man wasn't an option, but these humans are too untrustworthy!"
"Well, it wasn't like there was a third group to fall in with.", Meliodas remarked, "It was either stay there and watch our lovers be taken away, or take our chances with the Resistance. This world is foreign to us so we wouldn't survive long without their assistance."
Unable to dispute that, Zeldris grumbled to himself that he was growing tired of this. The only reason he stayed here was because Gelda had taken a liking to the people here. Unlike many people from their world, the citizens here didn't fear her and actually liked her quite a lot. Seeing how happy she was, Zeldris didn't have the heart to take her away.
"Hate to spoil your brotherly bonding, but I am noticing a lack of people running around here.", Ban pointed out as they neared the temple they'd left a short time ago.
Slowing their advance down for a moment, everyone noticed what Ban was saying. The last few attacks on the capital resulted in mass chaos, but there wasn't a soul to be seen anywhere aside from the volunteers at the temple.
"Well, they aren't dead.", Derieri stated as she looked for the presence of souls, "Maybe they are all hiding?"
Seeing Elizabeth run over to them, Meliodas decided to ask her where everyone was.
"Where is everyone?", he asked her, "There were a lot of people here when left a little while ago."
"Cole escorted them all to their homes, and then went to the Southern Gate.", Elizabeth told him, "Is the battle already finished on the east side?"
Before he could respond, several gigantic bolts of lightning came down outside the city followed by equally large explosions. Telling her to get inside the temple with everyone else, the group pressed forward hoping to make it in time to help fight.
"What's the plan if Vermillion is here herself?", Monspeet inquired, "Last time we fought her we barely held our ground."
"I can buy us time till the Archangels get back.", Escanor assured him with a nod.
"Galand, back him up!", Zeldris ordered as the gate came into sight, "Wait a second, why are they just now getting the gate closed?!"
See the gatekeeper and guards hurriedly getting the gate shut, the two brothers were going to lecture them before Merlin stopped them. Pointing out the petrified refugees just inside the gate, she stated they likely waited to get them in before closing it. Irritated even more that they'd risk the whole city for just a few humans, Zeldris grabbed the gatekeeper as soon as they arrived
"Why didn't you close the gates sooner!? The enemy is coming this way!", Zeldris berated him.
"They are already here, some guy in a weird outfit told us to get the refugees inside. He threatened to kick our asses if we didn't do so!", the gatekeeper answered as he shook like a leaf.
"Where is he now, I want to give him a piece of my mind!", Zeldris spat.
"He's outside the gates fighting Vermillion and her troops!", he told them.
Confirming that she was indeed her, Galand and Escanor leaped over the wall to help whoever was fighting her. Following quickly after them, the rest of their teammates were ready to back their play no matter the cost.
"Wait, I don't think you want to go that way!!", the gatekeeper shouted in a petrified tone, "It's a hell zone out there!!"
Not trusting what he was saying till they could see over the wall, all of them froze when they saw the terrain in front of them. No longer the lush green hillside dotted with trees, the entire area was now covered in craters and smoldering ashes. Spotting a group of Holy Knights bunched up on the only piece of grass they could see, the rest of their forces were in complete disarray.
Apostles were fleeing for their lives as giant Behemoths sliced them to bits with a flaming whip. Those poor souls unfortunate enough to be at the tail end of it exploded as the tips touch them. Watching them call out for their Lord to save them, no help came as Cole mercilessly tore Vermillion apart with a whirlwind of blades.
"Uh, Captain…I am not dreaming, right?", Ban asked as he pinched himself, "That is the same Vermillion that brought us here, and kicked our ass last time right?"
"Yep…", Meliodas replied unsure what to think, "So Zeldris…do you still want to give him a piece of your mind?"
Turning to his brother, Zeldris violently shook his head knowing it wouldn't end well.
"So do help him?", Galand asked with a confused look, "Looks like he's got this under control."
"Hey Cole, do you need any help?", Meliodas called out to him.
Forcing the blades spinning around Vermillion to turn her into a pin cushion at supersonic speeds, the demigod collapsed to the ground burying the swords deeper into her back. Glancing back at Meliodas, Cole told him he was just about to finish this up.
"Please…no more…", Vermillion gasped as blood poured out of her mouth.
Having torn her to pieces with the Holy Knight's swords over and over, her regeneration factor was no longer working. Feeling her life start to peter out, she just wanted it all to end already. She was tired of being chased by Cole and wanted the peaceful life she had before to return now. Closing her eyes, she waited for the final blow to come but it never came. Opening her eyes after a few moments, Vermillion asked what he was waiting for.
"You don't get to take the easy way out bitch.", Cole hissed as he pulled the swords out using magnetism, "Do you know how many villages we rode through that you had burned to the ground!? Do you even give a damn about the civilians you mercilessly slaughtered on your father's orders!? I saw with my own eyes the devastation you wrought on this world, you have harmed more people than any dictator I have ever fought."
"What do you…want from me..?", she wheezed, "I have nothing…to give you…"
"Oh, but that is where you are very wrong.", Cole said as he reached down and grabbed her by the face, "You still have something left that I can take from you."
Watching red lightning begin to spark off his right arm, Vermillion felt her Divinity start to be siphoned from her. Unable to muster the strength to resist, all she could do was cry as the sole thing she cherished was taken away from her. Once her Divinity was completely gone, Cole cast a healing spell on her to regenerate her body.
"Cole what are you doing!?", Ban shouted him.
"You are letting me go..?", Vermillion asked as she stood up, "I…I promise you, you will never see me again!"
"Oh I know I won't.", Cole remarked with a wicked smile, "Gate!"
Opening a portal behind her, Vermillion began to hear the sound of skittering behind her. Seeing the pale expression on her face, the group wondered what was happening.
"PLEASE NO!!!", Vermillion screamed as she tried to flee.
"Die you piece of shit!!", Cole spat as he smashed his boot into her face causing her to fall back into the portal.
Barely making contact with the ground before the insects were on her, everyone in the surrounding area heard her death throes. Catching a glimpse of what was happening to her on the other side, Merlin and Melascula's face contorted into horrified expressions.
Closing the portal as he was done suffering her presence, Cole turned around and began walking back to the Holy Knights. Telling them to start walking toward the gate, he told them to make it snappy. Zapping Gilthunder in the back, the group quickly started moving as Cole commanded.
"Meliodas, you owe me a lot of cold ales for this. I didn't have to spare your brothers-in-law, they are part of this problem!", Cole heckled him, "Hope you got deep pockets because I am a heavy drinker, haha!"