The Twelve Forgotten Zodiacs (SDS Fic)

Chapter 10

Once back at the Tavern, Brooks was sitting next to the kids, talking with them happily, though she was soon interrupted by Ban slamming the plates on the table.

"Okay everybody, dig in." He said.

The kid and Hawk looked at the food, though Hawk was being pulled back by Meliodas.

"It's great, but we don't really-" the boy stared.

"If you won't eat it, I'll feed it all to the pig."

The kids suddenly dug into the food. "We're eating!" The boy exclaimed.

After taking a couple bites, they started to compliment the food, Hawk begging to have a bite.

"It's time for some give and take, alright." Ban said, sitting down in front of the kids. "Now tell me everything you know about this Necropolis place."

"What are you doing Ban, finding King was our mission. So there's no reason to go there, right?" Meliodas asked.

"No way in hell that little punk it King!" Ban exclaimed.

"Yep that's him." Meliodas replied.

"I think he's a fake."

"Nope that's really him."

"He's a fake!"

"So you guys are trying to get into the Necropolis too? That boy's asked us questions about it a lot. He told me that he had to find it no matter what."

"Really now?" Brook muttered to herself, interested.

"King said that, huh?" Meliodas asked.

"He's been looking a long time too."

"It's actually here in this run down place?" Hawk asked.

"No, but it's not far away." The boy responded.

"Where is it exactly?" Diane asked from outside.

"The entrance to the Necropolis can be found here in this town, but it's not a place you can reach just because you want to." The boy stated.

"Look man, riddles have never really been my thing." Ban said.

Anything that requires your brain has been your thing. Brooks through with an unamused look on her face as she listened to her conversation.

"Oh I get it." Meliodas said, grabbing something and placing a contraption on Hawk, a pole extending in front of him holding a platter of food. "So what you're saying is, it's something like this?"

"I don't think that's it." Elizabeth said.

"So it's like a grave that's normally hidden, right?" He asked.

"It's not a grave at all." The boy started, "It's a land unto itself, a place that you'll find the spirits of those who died."

"So it's like the afterlife?" Meliodas asked.

"How can we reach a place like that?" Elizabeth asked, looking down at the ground with a hand to her chin in thought.

"How can I reach this plate right here?" Hawk asked, trying to grab the food that was in front of him.

"Tell me, you guys ever had a chance to got there yourselves?" Ban asked.

The boy looked slightly taken aback. "Oh no, of course not! All that stuffs just superstitious nonsense!"

"If you share with the dead your precious memories, they will lead you where you want to go. The man next door used to say that to us all the time." Ellen piped up. "I'm sorry, that's all I know."

Ban reached over the table and placed his hand on the girls head. "That tip just payed for your meal and then some. Seriously, well done Elane."

Elane? Brooks thought to herself, an image of a young girl with short blond hair appearing in her head. "Could he be..." She whispered.

"M-My name is Ellen."

"Oh right, sorry about that, Ellen." Ban apologized. "Now eat, there's still food on your plate."

"Right!" Ellen exclaimed, picking her fork back up.

Looking up at the ceiling and leaning back on the bar counter, Brooks sighed. "You know, I have been feeling the power of a zodiac around here. But I can't place it."

"You think one of us could be in the Necroplis?" Tut asked, looking at Brooks.

"I don't know, maybe. It wouldn't be that out of the ordinary."

"But for someone to be in the Necropolis, they would have to die." Aria muttered.

Brooks pushed herself off of the counter. "I'm not saying that they would be dead. We wouldn't feel their power if they were dead, right? Maybe they went there for hiding after the whole exile thing happened? You heard what the girl said, you can enter the Necropolis by sharing memories with the dead. With how long we've all lived, I bet there have been multiple people we could share our memories with."

"I guess you're right..." Aria muttered, her voice distant as she was thinking.

"Hey, you three coming?" Meliodas asked, causing Brooks to look over at him and see that he, Elizabeth, and Ban were already at the door, looking back at the three.

"We're right behind you." Brooks said, walking over to the door.

As the group walked through the town, Brooks caught herself looking around at the buildings. They all were so familiar to her. Maybe because she was here when this was a bustling town, brand new. Man have the years passed. She thought with a sigh.

Tuning into the conversation in front of her, Brooks mindlessly followed them.

"Well I guess all we have to do is die, right?" Meliodas said, seeming to be responding to someone.

"You big idiot!" Hawk exclaimed.

"Share memories that are precious with the dead." Elizabeth started. "When my mother died, I was too young to remember. I'd love to meet her."

"That rules you out the." Hawk stated blankly.

"You're right. I don't have any shared memories." Elizabeth muttered, downcast.

Brooks just sighed, looking over the ground, looking barren of any nature.

"I would never expect this to be my end."

These words echoed though Brooks head, and she clenched her fists.

"My precious daughter. She may of been born out of forbidden love. But she will rule proudly one day."

Biting her bottom lip, Brook closed her eyes tightly, attempting to stop her tears from falling.

You're right. Only good things will come her way.

A laugh threw Brooks out of her thoughts. "Ban, that is so not your style."

Looking down, Brooks saw that she was now standing in a field of roses, both Ban and Diane standing in front of her. "What?"

"Elizabeth, come here! Look at all these pretty flowers!" Diane exclaimed.

Elizabeth, Meliodas, and Hawk walked up.

"Oh my, what kind are they?"

"Who cares about some stupid old flowers? You can eat these things all say long and they'll never fill you up." Hawk said, looking Down at one of the flowers, he snorted, causing some petals to fly in the air. A second later, the group were surrounded in petals. They swirled around them beautifully dancing in the wind.

"Hey you guys, be careful!" Someone exclaimed, and Brooks looked behind her to see the boy from earlier, just before the wind picked up  and she was being surrounded. Closing her eyes, she covered her face.

When she opened them, they widened, she was surrounded by giant green crystals.

"We made it." Tut started in awe.

"We're in the Necropolis." Aria finished.