Sin of Crimson Sunlight

Chapter 16: Take Destiny into Your own Hands

Arthur slowly opens his eyes and looks around his old bed chamber in his castle in Camelot. Looking over to the small chair next to his bed, he sees Hawk. Covering his mouth as not to attract his attention. He watched as Hawk inspected Stormchaser, the sword Hawk had given Arthur. Arthur sees in the corner of his eye Excalibur is leaning on the same chair.

Hawk: "You can stop holding your breath. I heard your heart rate spike, which only means your awake. I'm not going to hurt you. On the contrary, I'm the only reason you aren't dead. Or have you forgotten?"

Arthur took a moment to remember. He was at the mercy of Zeldris and Meliodas, but Hawk interjected. He forced the two demon princes to share Arthur's life, but Arthur was, in essence, trapped in his castle. He sits up in his bed to see his body had several bandages on him.

Arthur: "You...saved me? Why?"

Hawk: "It seems you did forget. You're my student. It wasn't for very long, but I promised to teach and protect you, and I plan on doing so. But I am glad you were able to find a weapon that you may call your own."

Arthur: "Do you mean Excalibur? Merlin and I built the entirety of Camelot around the Holy Blade. She said that one day I'd be able to wield it and create an everlasting kingdom. But- Wait! What happened to Cath?!"

Hawk: "You mean the small creature? It's currently somewhere nearby. He said he was hungry and would find something to eat. Arthur, where did you find such an animal?"

Arthur: "After you fled from the Druid's Holy Land, I continued with their training. When I exited, Cath was just..there. I still don't know anything about him except that he's unusually hungry."

Hawk: "Ah. You are free to move about the castle, but you cannot leave. But when you move about the castle, please stay close to me. Chandler and Cusack will try and kill you." Hawk stands up and makes his way to the door.

Arthur: "Hawk?" The white-haired Branwen stopped. "Why did you leave? Why did you join the demon clan?" Hawk heads back over and sits in the chair across from Arthur.

Hawk: "Arthur...I spent a good bit of my life trying to find a place, a people I can call my own. I had them for a while, but fate always takes them away. I guess I was just so...starved for any form of connection. And after what you and the others saw, the Commandments didn't seem too bad. What could they have done that was worse than what I did?"

Arthur: "You keep batting around your past. You constantly reference it, but you never talk about it in depth. Please, Hawk, what did you do?"

Hawk thought very long about Arthur's question. He had never told anyone about his early life, not even Emrys, who Hawk considered a valuable friend. But he remembered the words of the man Hawk considered his father.

Hawk: "Okay, Arthur. *sigh* Alright...I'll tell you. Everything."

So Hawk did. He told Arthur who he indeed was. He told him of Remnant, how it was an entirely different world Hawk came from. He described how he and Pyrrha met, of their time at Beacon Academy, and of the team, he would eventually call family. He told Arthur of his clan, his family, Clan Branwen. How he helped lead it with his mother, he also told him how they were killed, leaving him alone. He then told Arthur of how he chose to become a demon, all for revenge, to take some form of vengeance against those who let his family be murdered. Eventually, there was no more to tell; Arthur finally knew the truth; he knew who Hawk was. As Hawk finished up, he silently left the room to allow Arthur to process what he had been told properly. Walking down the stone corridors, Hawk almost felt relieved. It felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, not a massive amount but a good bit.

Making it to the throne room, Hawk stops as he sees what can only be described as a giant egg or cocoon. It radiated magical power, and he could sense the power of 5 Commandments within. It also seemed to have changed the entire throne room into a large chamber.

Hawk: "What the hell is that?!"

Zeldris: "That's Meliodas. He's beginning the ritual to absorb the Commandments." Zeldris walks into the throne room flanked by Chandler and Cusack.

Hawk: "What don't tell me when he's done he's gonna come out with wings like Gloxinia, now is he."

Chandler: "You dare make light of your next Demon King!"

Hawk: "Watch your tongue. I've slain a king of hell before. I can do so again." Chandler backing off. "So now we just wait?"

Zeldris: "Correct. Estarossa will bring back the other Commandments...Then we give ours."

Hawk: "Huh...and I'm guessing they're here to stop us." The four then turn to see five individuals on the other side of the chamber room.

Out of the five, he recognized none of them, but the dark-haired woman shared the same magical power as Merlin. Zeldris, Cusack, and Chandler turned to face the intruders, but as they prepared, Hawk stepped forward.

Hawk: "You old-timers have had your fun. I think it's about time I let loose. It's been a while anyway. So...who's first?" The woman with a rapier steps forward in front of her group.

Ludociel: "I am Ludociel, Leader of the Four Archangels. State your name so I may know who to curse when I send you to oblivion."

Hawk: "Oh? We're doing titles then, fine. But first. Zeldris! I'm skipping to the front of the line! You want my Commandment, take it."

Zeldris: "...You're serious. Hmph. Fine." Zeldris then speaks in a different language as Hawk visibly sees the Commandment of Pacifism be pulled from his body. "Hmm? Quite some resistance. It seems it liked its host. Doesn't matter, though. You can fight first."

Merlin: "If you think we'll sit back and watch, then your sorely mistaken-"

But she stops as for the first time she experiences real fear. The air around the group seems to become almost unbearably heavy as Hawk stretches, letting his power out. In Hawk's hands, he summons Jetstream and Stormchaser as he turns to face the group.

Chandler: "This is impossible!! His power..it's..it's over 150,000!!"

Cusack: "And it's still rising! Incredible."

Zeldris: "Hawk? How long have you been hiding this power?"

Hawk: "Heh...that's like asking how long the sun has been around...there's no point. Now then!! Allow me to introduce myself! My name is Hawk Branwen, The Talon, The Crimson Tyrant, King of the Underworld, and Slayer of the Twin Gods!! And I shall be your opponent!"

Ludociel can't help but back away slowly, but the man beside her doesn't budge. In the face of such incredible power and pressure, he doesn't falter but instead begins to walk forward. Hawk sees this and smiles. This was the man that defeated both Estarossa, Galand, Melascula and also defeated Meliodas at one point.

Escanor: "Hmph...you claim to have slain gods, but they are all ants beneath the majesty of the one who stands above all others. I am Escanor, Lion sin of Pride, and I shall be your opponent."