Maeve emerged as a formidable adversary, a tempest of power that effortlessly dispatched each member of the group with a skill reminiscent of Virgil himself. She initiated her assault by propelling Zero out of his Gear Shift, incapacitating him in a heartbeat. As Zero lay recovering, her attention turned to Taharqa. With a swiftness akin to lightning, her dagger honed in on the heart of his Ymir Armor, shattering it into colossal shards of ice, and sending Taharqa tumbling down the hillside.
Menelik, eager for his share of the action, stepped up to face Maeve. She skillfully evaded his advance and, in one seamless motion, seized Idris with two imposing, demonic hands, pulling him into the folds of her cloak. In the same fluid movement, she shifted her gaze to Oiwa and uttered a commanding, "Kneel."
Oiwa was compelled to her knees, her magical arms dissipating like ethereal bubbles. Struggling to lift her gaze from the ground, she found herself immobilized. Maeve, however, had already moved on. Her focus now centered on Menelik, who readied himself for their showdown. Menelik drew his mage's staff and gripped it tightly, quietly reciting an incantation under his breath. An icy blue aura enveloped his entire being, reminiscent of Taharqa's Ymir Armor. Shifting the staff to his left hand, he deftly summoned his warhammer from his back in a graceful twist of his wrist. Menelik now wielded both his weapons, infused with the Frost Giant Strength spell he had just cast upon himself. He took in a deep breath, exhaling a frosty mist as the chill of the spell permeated his core.
With a smirk, Menelik declared, "Hey there, bumperton, I’m gonna rough you up, then I’m gonna wear your clothes."
Zero found himself at a loss for words. The numbness in his body slowly receded, but he knew that no matter what he said, Menelik wouldn't pay heed. All he could do was fix his gaze on Maeve's face, hoping to discern even the faintest hint of patience in her expression.
Maeve stood her ground for a moment, her gaze shifting from Zero to Menelik. "Come," she calmly beckoned.
In response, Menelik let out a bone-chilling war cry, charging forward to initiate the battle. He unleashed a lightning bolt from his staff, which crackled towards Maeve's cloak. However, the bolt dissipated upon contact, transforming into smoke that was swiftly dispelled by the swing of Menelik's warhammer. He thrust it towards Maeve's head, only for it to pass through her as if she were a mere apparition. Menelik's eyes widened in disbelief as he seized the opportunity to create some distance between them. He didn't rush into another attack immediately; instead, he waited, his gaze locked on Maeve, who stood there with an air of unwavering anticipation.
"GODS!" Menelik exclaimed, his voice echoing through the chaos. "BY ALL THE HIGHERS, OLD AND NEW!" He dropped his warhammer and mage's staff, determination in his eyes as he pushed forward. Just inches away from Maeve, he halted, his breath heavy with a mix of anger and frustration. "YOU'RE JUST AS ARROGANT AS ZERO!" He jabbed a finger toward Zero, who had rolled onto his back, staring up at the night sky as the numbness slowly ebbed away.
Maeve sighed, her gaze unwavering as she locked eyes with Menelik. In a soft, almost inaudible whisper, she implored him, "Kill yourself."
Zero's eyes widened, and he summoned every ounce of strength to flip onto his stomach, still weak but determined to intervene. "MAEVE, NO!"
He wriggled his body, struggling against the lingering numbness that held him in its grip. "MAEVE!"
Menelik stood frozen, his arms hanging limply at his sides, his gaze distant as if lost in thought.
"MAEVE, DON'T DO THIS!" Zero's desperate cries filled the air.
With all his might, he fought against the remnants of paralysis, determined to prevent the catastrophe Maeve had set in motion.
"MAEVE!"
Meanwhile, Menelik began to retreat, his movements deliberate and measured. Step by step, he moved backward, his gaze never leaving Maeve. As he reached his mage's staff, he knelt down and lifted it, whispering a small enchantment that enveloped him.
"MAEVE!" Zero's voice was a last-ditch effort. "BREAK THE SPELL! DON’T DO THIS! PLEASE!"
The spell enveloping Menelik manifested as a mesmerizing display of tiny azure fragments, forming an arch overhead before descending upon him, cocooning him in a radiant white aura. His voice, amplified by arcane resonance, reverberated through the surroundings. "Like I said... You're arrogant." With a deep inhalation, he began a chant. "First Form, Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form..." With each repetition of "form," Menelik surged with arcane energy, and sparks erupted from his body, twisting and undulating as if they had a life of their own. "...Panther God Status..." He shut his eyes, drawing in one final surge of energy that pulsed throughout him. "...Active."
In an instant, Menelik vanished, a blur of brilliant white light moving at such a speed that he became invisible to the naked eye. He veered sharply to the left and executed a wide arc, reappearing behind Maeve with a resounding declaration. "YOU REALLY THINK I'D EVER LET SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO?!"
Zero couldn't help but smirk. Menelik's unwavering confidence mirrored his own, treading the line between self-assuredness and arrogance that he often accused Zero of embodying. As Menelik thrust his hand forward, fingers splayed, the air itself roared with the force of his velocity. Yet, Maeve remained unflinching, holding her ground as Menelik phased right through her, his momentum unbroken. He lost his balance and collided with the hillside, rending a colossal fissure that sent dirt and debris soaring in all directions.
With unyielding determination, Menelik swiftly regained his footing, pushing forward once more, aiming directly for Maeve. Once again, he passed through her, only to crash into the unyielding ground. Rising from the impact, he shook off the blow as frustration welled within him. "STOP BEING A COWARD!" he shouted, charging forward once more.
This time, he deftly dodged to the left, avoiding Maeve entirely as he scooped up his warhammer. With a mighty swing, he brought it around from the right, lifting the hammer high and aiming for a devastating blow aimed at Maeve's head. "LET'S SEE YOU TAKE A HIT, BITCH!"
Menelik's warhammer connected with Maeve's head, but instead of sending her flying, the weapon shattered upon impact. A powerful vibration surged through the hilt and into Menelik's hands, forcing him to release the shattered remnants and stumble back, his expression a mixture of surprise and pain.
Menelik retreated to Zero, maintaining a cautious distance from Maeve, who remained eerily motionless, her gaze locked onto him. He couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "So, like, y'all some freaks, my guy."
Maeve's focus shifted momentarily, her indecision palpable as she took a shallow breath and swayed her head in contemplation. Then, she zeroed in on Menelik once more, her glare sending a shiver down his spine.
"Okay, okay, guess it's my turn..." Her words were laced with a dark intent. "Elder Demon Summoning..." A colossal transmutation circle materialized on the hillside, casting a brilliant crimson hue into the sky, as if heralding an ominous sunrise. "Name..." The circle's glow intensified briefly, and shards of magic detached, coalescing at its base to form a shadowy figure. "...Meliodas."
As Maeve uttered the name, the silhouette within the circle began to fracture, and a formidable being emerged. Standing at around three meters, this entity possessed a stark appearance—naked, with obsidian scales covering its form. Its underbelly bore a deep crimson hue, and it stood on powerful bipedal legs. Two small red horns protruded from its head, and it lacked a visible mouth. Its yellow eyes exuded an unsettling, sleepless quality, and its tail swayed, ending in a sharp, dagger-like point. Long, delicate fingers bore black nails that tapered into points, and its three-toed feet lacked visible nails. Its arms stretched closer to the ground than its head, and a mysterious brand adorned its left shoulder, obscured by the fading red light of the transmutation circle.
The creature turned its gaze toward Maeve, awaiting her command. Maeve's attention flitted briefly to Menelik and then to Taharqa, who was on his way to rejoin the group. As she refocused on the Elder Demon, she declared, "If you can defeat Meliodas here, I will gladly take you on. Until then..."
Maeve dissolved into a shadow, leaving behind a darkened trail as she moved towards Taharqa's approach. However, when she emerged, it was no longer Maeve but another Demon, significantly larger than Meliodas. This Demon possessed a gaping mouth that consumed its entire body, with spindly, stick-like arms extending to ensnare Taharqa. As it pulled him inside, its mouth snapped shut, and its pupilless, blood-red eyes swirled briefly before closing. In an instant, it disappeared into the ground, leaving Maeve standing in its place.
With a predatory glint in her eye, Maeve turned her attention back to Menelik and licked her lips, a small, sinister smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. She watched intently as he and Meliodas engaged in a fierce battle.
Meliodas brandished a long, serpentine dagger with a scaly green hilt and a gleaming silver blade. He moved with elegant agility, clashing back and forth with Menelik, their strikes echoing like thunder in the heavens above.
Menelik could feel the strain of maintaining his Panther God Form, fatigue creeping in with every passing moment. Maeve, the ever cunning antagonist, recognized his weakness. She deployed her lowest-ranking demon to engage him, confident that Meliodas alone could bring Menelik to his knees. This knowledge stirred something within Zero.
"So, you're still hanging in there... good," Zero whispered to himself. While Maeve possessed immense power, Zero had a knack for finding hope in the darkest of moments. He understood that Maeve could obliterate them all in an instant, especially with him momentarily out of the fight. But as always, Zero was determined to defy the odds.
"Hey, Maeve!" Zero called out, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I know you're still in there! Why don't you come on out, Mae Mae?"
Maeve moved with such incredible speed that the ground behind Zero churned with a cyclone of wind, tearing up dirt and grass for meters. She knelt down in front of him, her presence intimidating. "Call me that again, and I will kill you."
"Thought that's what you were doing now... Mae Mae," Zero retorted, a defiant smirk playing on his lips as he added insult to injury.
Maeve's nose curled in disdain, and she began to speak, but before a word left her lips, a voice echoed through the area, resonating with authority. "THAT'S ENOUGH, MAEVE!" The voice, though feminine, carried an overwhelming power that shook the very ground beneath them. It was an aura unlike anything Lust and her siblings could conjure, an unsettling sensation.
Maeve pulled away from Zero and turned toward the source of the voice, locking eyes with a tall woman with unnaturally pale white skin. She wore a long orange dress that seemed to be made of flesh, complete with eyes embedded within it, darting around frantically. Orange gauntlets covered her hands, and her head was crowned with a living headpiece, its tentacles writhing in all directions, partly hidden within her voluminous wavy brown hair. Her lips barely moved as she spoke, maintaining a poised and enigmatic persona. Her pupilless orange eyes radiated a deep-seated hatred, and every glance seemed to penetrate the very soul of those she looked upon.
As Maeve regained her composure, Oiwa was released from her grasp, and Meliodas vanished, leaving Menelik bewildered. But as his attention shifted to Maeve, he began to understand the gravity of the situation.
Maeve knelt on one knee and bowed her head. "Greetings, Sol. What did I do to deserve your presence?"
Sol advanced slowly, her dress leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, until she reached Maeve and Zero. She stopped and peered down at Zero. "This one, what is it? He reeks."
"No one, my lady," Maeve replied. "He is my husband, but ties can be severed."
Sol shifted her gaze to Zero. "Husband?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Hmmm," Sol mused, her eyes still fixed on Zero. "Shame. With a bath, he would have been delicious."
"You may eat him," Maeve offered, her tone steady. "As I said, ties can be severed. Just tell me."
Sol turned back to Maeve with a sinister smile. "No, I think we will have you eat him instead."
Maeve emerged as a formidable adversary, a tempest of power that effortlessly dispatched each member of the group with a skill reminiscent of Virgil himself. She initiated her assault by propelling Zero out of his Gear Shift, incapacitating him in a heartbeat. As Zero lay recovering, her attention turned to Taharqa. With a swiftness akin to lightning, her dagger honed in on the heart of his Ymir Armor, shattering it into colossal shards of ice, and sending Taharqa tumbling down the hillside.
Menelik, eager for his share of the action, stepped up to face Maeve. She skillfully evaded his advance and, in one seamless motion, seized Idris with two imposing, demonic hands, pulling him into the folds of her cloak. In the same fluid movement, she shifted her gaze to Oiwa and uttered a commanding, "Kneel."
Oiwa was compelled to her knees, her magical arms dissipating like ethereal bubbles. Struggling to lift her gaze from the ground, she found herself immobilized. Maeve, however, had already moved on. Her focus now centered on Menelik, who readied himself for their showdown. Menelik drew his mage's staff and gripped it tightly, quietly reciting an incantation under his breath. An icy blue aura enveloped his entire being, reminiscent of Taharqa's Ymir Armor. Shifting the staff to his left hand, he deftly summoned his warhammer from his back in a graceful twist of his wrist. Menelik now wielded both his weapons, infused with the Frost Giant Strength spell he had just cast upon himself. He took in a deep breath, exhaling a frosty mist as the chill of the spell permeated his core.
With a smirk, Menelik declared, "Hey there, bumperton, I’m gonna rough you up, then I’m gonna wear your clothes."
Zero found himself at a loss for words. The numbness in his body slowly receded, but he knew that no matter what he said, Menelik wouldn't pay heed. All he could do was fix his gaze on Maeve's face, hoping to discern even the faintest hint of patience in her expression.
Maeve stood her ground for a moment, her gaze shifting from Zero to Menelik. "Come," she calmly beckoned.
In response, Menelik let out a bone-chilling war cry, charging forward to initiate the battle. He unleashed a lightning bolt from his staff, which crackled towards Maeve's cloak. However, the bolt dissipated upon contact, transforming into smoke that was swiftly dispelled by the swing of Menelik's warhammer. He thrust it towards Maeve's head, only for it to pass through her as if she were a mere apparition. Menelik's eyes widened in disbelief as he seized the opportunity to create some distance between them. He didn't rush into another attack immediately; instead, he waited, his gaze locked on Maeve, who stood there with an air of unwavering anticipation.
"GODS!" Menelik exclaimed, his voice echoing through the chaos. "BY ALL THE HIGHERS, OLD AND NEW!" He dropped his warhammer and mage's staff, determination in his eyes as he pushed forward. Just inches away from Maeve, he halted, his breath heavy with a mix of anger and frustration. "YOU'RE JUST AS ARROGANT AS ZERO!" He jabbed a finger toward Zero, who had rolled onto his back, staring up at the night sky as the numbness slowly ebbed away.
Maeve sighed, her gaze unwavering as she locked eyes with Menelik. In a soft, almost inaudible whisper, she implored him, "Kill yourself."
Zero's eyes widened, and he summoned every ounce of strength to flip onto his stomach, still weak but determined to intervene. "MAEVE, NO!"
He wriggled his body, struggling against the lingering numbness that held him in its grip. "MAEVE!"
Menelik stood frozen, his arms hanging limply at his sides, his gaze distant as if lost in thought.
"MAEVE, DON'T DO THIS!" Zero's desperate cries filled the air.
With all his might, he fought against the remnants of paralysis, determined to prevent the catastrophe Maeve had set in motion.
"MAEVE!"
Meanwhile, Menelik began to retreat, his movements deliberate and measured. Step by step, he moved backward, his gaze never leaving Maeve. As he reached his mage's staff, he knelt down and lifted it, whispering a small enchantment that enveloped him.
"MAEVE!" Zero's voice was a last-ditch effort. "BREAK THE SPELL! DON’T DO THIS! PLEASE!"
The spell enveloping Menelik manifested as a mesmerizing display of tiny azure fragments, forming an arch overhead before descending upon him, cocooning him in a radiant white aura. His voice, amplified by arcane resonance, reverberated through the surroundings. "Like I said... You're arrogant." With a deep inhalation, he began a chant. "First Form, Second Form, Third Form, Fourth Form..." With each repetition of "form," Menelik surged with arcane energy, and sparks erupted from his body, twisting and undulating as if they had a life of their own. "...Panther God Status..." He shut his eyes, drawing in one final surge of energy that pulsed throughout him. "...Active."
In an instant, Menelik vanished, a blur of brilliant white light moving at such a speed that he became invisible to the naked eye. He veered sharply to the left and executed a wide arc, reappearing behind Maeve with a resounding declaration. "YOU REALLY THINK I'D EVER LET SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO?!"
Zero couldn't help but smirk. Menelik's unwavering confidence mirrored his own, treading the line between self-assuredness and arrogance that he often accused Zero of embodying. As Menelik thrust his hand forward, fingers splayed, the air itself roared with the force of his velocity. Yet, Maeve remained unflinching, holding her ground as Menelik phased right through her, his momentum unbroken. He lost his balance and collided with the hillside, rending a colossal fissure that sent dirt and debris soaring in all directions.
With unyielding determination, Menelik swiftly regained his footing, pushing forward once more, aiming directly for Maeve. Once again, he passed through her, only to crash into the unyielding ground. Rising from the impact, he shook off the blow as frustration welled within him. "STOP BEING A COWARD!" he shouted, charging forward once more.
This time, he deftly dodged to the left, avoiding Maeve entirely as he scooped up his warhammer. With a mighty swing, he brought it around from the right, lifting the hammer high and aiming for a devastating blow aimed at Maeve's head. "LET'S SEE YOU TAKE A HIT, BITCH!"
Menelik's warhammer connected with Maeve's head, but instead of sending her flying, the weapon shattered upon impact. A powerful vibration surged through the hilt and into Menelik's hands, forcing him to release the shattered remnants and stumble back, his expression a mixture of surprise and pain.
Menelik retreated to Zero, maintaining a cautious distance from Maeve, who remained eerily motionless, her gaze locked onto him. He couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "So, like, y'all some freaks, my guy."
Maeve's focus shifted momentarily, her indecision palpable as she took a shallow breath and swayed her head in contemplation. Then, she zeroed in on Menelik once more, her glare sending a shiver down his spine.
"Okay, okay, guess it's my turn..." Her words were laced with a dark intent. "Elder Demon Summoning..." A colossal transmutation circle materialized on the hillside, casting a brilliant crimson hue into the sky, as if heralding an ominous sunrise. "Name..." The circle's glow intensified briefly, and shards of magic detached, coalescing at its base to form a shadowy figure. "...Meliodas."
As Maeve uttered the name, the silhouette within the circle began to fracture, and a formidable being emerged. Standing at around three meters, this entity possessed a stark appearance—naked, with obsidian scales covering its form. Its underbelly bore a deep crimson hue, and it stood on powerful bipedal legs. Two small red horns protruded from its head, and it lacked a visible mouth. Its yellow eyes exuded an unsettling, sleepless quality, and its tail swayed, ending in a sharp, dagger-like point. Long, delicate fingers bore black nails that tapered into points, and its three-toed feet lacked visible nails. Its arms stretched closer to the ground than its head, and a mysterious brand adorned its left shoulder, obscured by the fading red light of the transmutation circle.
The creature turned its gaze toward Maeve, awaiting her command. Maeve's attention flitted briefly to Menelik and then to Taharqa, who was on his way to rejoin the group. As she refocused on the Elder Demon, she declared, "If you can defeat Meliodas here, I will gladly take you on. Until then..."
Maeve dissolved into a shadow, leaving behind a darkened trail as she moved towards Taharqa's approach. However, when she emerged, it was no longer Maeve but another Demon, significantly larger than Meliodas. This Demon possessed a gaping mouth that consumed its entire body, with spindly, stick-like arms extending to ensnare Taharqa. As it pulled him inside, its mouth snapped shut, and its pupilless, blood-red eyes swirled briefly before closing. In an instant, it disappeared into the ground, leaving Maeve standing in its place.
With a predatory glint in her eye, Maeve turned her attention back to Menelik and licked her lips, a small, sinister smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. She watched intently as he and Meliodas engaged in a fierce battle.
Meliodas brandished a long, serpentine dagger with a scaly green hilt and a gleaming silver blade. He moved with elegant agility, clashing back and forth with Menelik, their strikes echoing like thunder in the heavens above.
Menelik could feel the strain of maintaining his Panther God Form, fatigue creeping in with every passing moment. Maeve, the ever cunning antagonist, recognized his weakness. She deployed her lowest-ranking demon to engage him, confident that Meliodas alone could bring Menelik to his knees. This knowledge stirred something within Zero.
"So, you're still hanging in there... good," Zero whispered to himself. While Maeve possessed immense power, Zero had a knack for finding hope in the darkest of moments. He understood that Maeve could obliterate them all in an instant, especially with him momentarily out of the fight. But as always, Zero was determined to defy the odds.
"Hey, Maeve!" Zero called out, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I know you're still in there! Why don't you come on out, Mae Mae?"
Maeve moved with such incredible speed that the ground behind Zero churned with a cyclone of wind, tearing up dirt and grass for meters. She knelt down in front of him, her presence intimidating. "Call me that again, and I will kill you."
"Thought that's what you were doing now... Mae Mae," Zero retorted, a defiant smirk playing on his lips as he added insult to injury.
Maeve's nose curled in disdain, and she began to speak, but before a word left her lips, a voice echoed through the area, resonating with authority. "THAT'S ENOUGH, MAEVE!" The voice, though feminine, carried an overwhelming power that shook the very ground beneath them. It was an aura unlike anything Lust and her siblings could conjure, an unsettling sensation.
Maeve pulled away from Zero and turned toward the source of the voice, locking eyes with a tall woman with unnaturally pale white skin. She wore a long orange dress that seemed to be made of flesh, complete with eyes embedded within it, darting around frantically. Orange gauntlets covered her hands, and her head was crowned with a living headpiece, its tentacles writhing in all directions, partly hidden within her voluminous wavy brown hair. Her lips barely moved as she spoke, maintaining a poised and enigmatic persona. Her pupilless orange eyes radiated a deep-seated hatred, and every glance seemed to penetrate the very soul of those she looked upon.
As Maeve regained her composure, Oiwa was released from her grasp, and Meliodas vanished, leaving Menelik bewildered. But as his attention shifted to Maeve, he began to understand the gravity of the situation.
Maeve knelt on one knee and bowed her head. "Greetings, Sol. What did I do to deserve your presence?"
Sol advanced slowly, her dress leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, until she reached Maeve and Zero. She stopped and peered down at Zero. "This one, what is it? He reeks."
"No one, my lady," Maeve replied. "He is my husband, but ties can be severed."
Sol shifted her gaze to Zero. "Husband?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Hmmm," Sol mused, her eyes still fixed on Zero. "Shame. With a bath, he would have been delicious."
"You may eat him," Maeve offered, her tone steady. "As I said, ties can be severed. Just tell me."
Sol turned back to Maeve with a sinister smile. "No, I think we will have you eat him instead."
