Mystery Deepens

Merlin is deep in sleep. She dreams of her sister, who's original name was Lilith. She's transported back to the last time they were together over 3,000 years ago. For most of their early lives, Merlin had barely acknowledging that her sibling even existed, staying focused on her own selfish desires of winning their father's love and trying to fulfill the emptiness in her own heart. Their father paid even less attention to his younger daughter then to Merlin, blaming her for his wife's death. The young Merlin never once considered her baby sister's needs or feelings. Naturally, when Merlin tricked the Supreme Deity and Demon King, she never once considered the consequences of her actions. How could she, she was only ten.

Still, as intelligent a child that she was, Merlin thinks she should've been smart enough to know there would be consequences. Still, she never thought they would take it out on 'ALL' her people, especially her sister. They had saved the worst torture for Lilith, right in front of Merlin. As she stared into the sad, dying eyes of her sister, she tried, but couldn't say she was sorry. She didn't shead a tear. Only when Lilith's heart stopped beating did Merlin finally let out the words; "I promise baby sister, I will bring you back and be the sister I should've been. No matter what, I promise, I will save you."

That promise became the root of all of Merlin's actions for the next 3,000 years. To rescue and revive not only her sister, but the souls that would be trapped between life and death, being unable to move on.

Merlin's dream shifts to the other day. Without a shadow of a doubt, that was a reincarnated Lilith, who now calls herself Nuri. After 3000 years she's finally found her. Where did she reincarnate? Egypt? Why there? Why did she show up now after all this time? Is this her first reincarnation, or has she reincarnated multiple times, like Elizabeth? If so, is she under a curse? How much longer till the curse took effect? Or was it even the same curse?

Merlin's dream soon shifts again. This time, the reincarnated Nuri stands there, with a stone in her hand. Is that the Stone of Destiny? Merlin knew of it but had never learned its purpose and it seemly had no connection to any of her own goals nor the goals of anybody else. She never bothered to disturb Scotia's grave to get it. Now, Nuri has. Why does she need it? What's it's true purpose?

Nuri then fades away, the stone remaining. There are 4 other objects that circle around the stone.

"Merlin, Merlin." Merlin hears somebody calling to her. She opens her eyes and sees the old lady whom Gelda found removing a cloth from her forehead and checking it. "Your fever has broken young lady."

The voice is inside Merlin's head, and the woman doesn't move her mouth. She's speaking to her telepathically.

"Who are you? Where are we?"

"I don't mean to frighten you, Miss Merlin. I am Carmine, a priestess of the Tibetan mountains. I am speaking to you telepathically because we do not share the same words."

Merlin is fluent in several languages, unfortunately, Tibetan isn't one of them.

"Can you speak Chinese?"

"I can;" replies Carmine; "however, it is best that you do not talk out loud right now. You are weak. And we avoid confusion this way."

"Where is Harlequinn and Gelda, my friends?"

"They are right here, asleep." Carmine points to two cots across the room were King and Gelda lay. "They have both awaken, had a small meal, and are resting again. You must also have a meal while you are awake."

Merlin's stomach growls and she agrees. She's handed a small bowl containing what looks like porridge. Carmine explains that it's Tsampa, made from barley and yak butter tea. It taste like a light, salty soup of barley. She eats slowly, and her head is full of questions. The priestess tells her they are right on the boarders of Tibet and Bhutan, with the Chinese boarder nearby.

Merlin asked about that strange mountain that seemed to react violently when they got near it. "We call the mountain Gangkhar Puensum. It's believed that the spirits of the mountain guards its secrets. Very rarely will the mountain allow anything living get close."

Merlin takes a good look at the priestess. She looks no more than 70 in human years; however, her soul feels a bit older. "If you don't mind my asking your age Priestess Carmine."

Carmine seems surprised by that question. "I've lived longer than most humans. Not as long as elves or dwarfs."

Elves and dwarfs? Elves and dwarfs are races that inhabit the lands of Germania (modern day Germany) and Scandinavia, as well as other parts of the Fancia Empire (middle to eastern Europe). Most elves can live naturally between 300-500 years, dwarfs between 200-300. Both clans had also inhabited Britannia at one point but were whipped out before even Meliodas was born.

King wakes up and slowly gets up to relive himself. Once he returns, Carmine offers him another bowl of Tsampa. King makes a sour face, but he's hungry and weak so he reluctantly agrees to have a little more.

Carmine excuses herself, leaving the two sins alone. At first, they eat in silence, giving occasional awkward glances towards each other. King puts down his bowl and sits at the foot Merlin's cot.

"Ah Merlin, I guess we need to..."

"Put aside our differences."

"Well, yes. Ah, this probably isn't the right time to ask Merlin but..."

"Yes King. Lilith was, and is, my main motive for everything."

King forces a smile; "That's all I needed to hear."

Merlin lowers her eyes a little. "King, I really don't care what you think of me, but I can assure you that I really did have everybody's best interests at heart."

"Perhaps we all should've been completely honest with each other from the beginning. That is what family is all about."

Merlin only smiles in agreement.

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It's nearly supper time when Jaz and Scout finally return. Both come out of the ocean and while their clothes are completely intact, they are obviously battle weary. Jaz still has unwashed black shoot on her clothes, and Scout has obviously been in the mud. The older schoolgirls had returned a little while earlier, informing Elizabeth, Ban, Zeldris, and the pigs that Jaz had met up with them on the way home and warned them not to head home right away before heading in the direction to Mt Vesuvius.

The Britannians were hoping to catch a glimpse of Scout's face, however, she re-covers her face and tucks her wet hair underneath her cap before they could look. Jasmine refuses to go into any details about what they were doing and what's going on, but both sisters (Scout by signing) thank them for protecting the girls and the area. Ban asked about the barrier that the wolf-demon lady couldn't get through.

"Oh yes. Since the church is a holy, sacred place, that barrier can protect this site and anybody inside from those who may harm them."

The trio have heard of such barriers before, as Elizabeth actually guessed that's what it was. Ban and Zeldris, however, have more questions.

"How come a sinner like me, the official Fox Sin of Greed, and Zeldris, a demon, can get inside with no problem."

Jaz smiles. "You misunderstand. First off, Zeldris isn't a fallen angel or Satan created demon from hell. He's a humanoid demon, an official part of mankind with a soul. And anybody should be able to come into the church unless they have sinister intentions in their hearts. Like if anybody intentioned to harm or kidnapped the girls, or even you guys, the barrier while block them."

The Britannians find this fascinating.

"Well, we'd better get cleaned up and get dinner going."

While Scout has already ran inside ahead of them, Ban stops Jasmine.

"Excuse me Pastor Jaz. If you don't mind my asking, who does the cooking around here?"

"We take turns, me, Scout, Amara, and Cloe. Mrs. Ricco, our neighbor, sometimes comes over to cook."

"Your food is fine, don't get me wrong, but it's all very basic. I could show you some quick tips on improving it, especially since I realized you ladies don't have a lot of time to fool with cooking."

"That would be nice;" replies Jaz; "Just let us get washed up..." Jaz looks the other way towards the stone fence.

"What is it?" ask Elizabeth.

"Excuse me." Jaz runs to the fence and scares up some pre-adolescent and teenage boys with binoculars. "(In Greek) Boys, back to your church, NOW!"

The boys seem to be trying to make excuses, then Jasmine points towards the road leading away from the church towards town. Scout comes back out and also points, more firmly. The boys leave, nervously.

"Peeping toms;" says Zeldris rolling his eyes.

"That's adolescent boys for you;" adds Ban.

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Meliodas wakes up feeling all cool and, wet. He feels as if he's submerged in cool water. His head is placed in some kind of head support. He slowly sits himself up to realize that he is in fact almost completely submerged, with the exception of his face, in what looks like thin, watery pinkish milk. He's inside what appears to be a large bathtub, wearing some kind of long gown.

"What? Why am I wearing a gown, in a bathtub? Who put me in here?"

He gets himself out of the tube, feeling very weak and dizzy. He rips off the gown and finds his clothes folded on a chair, all clean and fresh. He dries off and gets dressed, his skin feeling like it's literally on fire and very sensitive as the cloth of his shirt hits it. Meliodas takes a look at himself before buttoning up his shirt, he's as red as a lobster. "Damn it, so I did burn. I should've listened to Willie and Nuri." His body also has large cuts and sores that have obviously started healing already. He spots a mirror and looks at himself, freaking out by what appears to be a green gunk mask all over his face. "What the hell is this?" He washes the gunk off his face and puts on the rest of his clothes. It's a little painful to move with all the wounds and burnt skin all over his body.

The worst pain, however, is the hunger pangs. Meliodas is far beyond famished at this point and must get nourishment into his system immediately.

"I wonder where Willie is. I sure hope he's alright."

Once in the hallway, Meliodas hears meow-like shrieking and lots of ruckus coming from the next room. Remembering the cat he met earlier, he peaks into the room. Sure enough, a cat is putting up a major fight. What looks like a couple of nurses finally pin Ramesses down, gives him a shot, and make him swallow a spoonful of medicine. They bandage up the cat's ribs, release him, and exit through a door in the back.

Ramesses runs out of the room spitting. "YUCK! Why do they always make me take that nasty pain tonic? Can't they at least make it taste better?"

"Yo Ramie;" greets Meliodas with a smile.

"YOU!" freaks out the cat; "Stay away from me. You've already broken my ribs. And it's Ramesses!"

Meliodas is confused. "What do you mean? I don't recall touching you. Then again, I was pretty delirious and my memory's kind of fuzzy."

"You were asleep!" Ramesses keeps his distance; "You seemed to think I was this person named Elizabeth."

Meliodas is puzzled and laughs. "Now why would I mistake YOU for Elizabeth? You're a BOY and a CAT!"

"Well, you did. In all my 1417 years I've never been hugged so hard!"

Meliodas giggles; "1400 years huh? Well, I'm more than twice your age."

Ramesses thinks he's joking. "Sure, you are. You can't be anymore then 100."

Meliodas just laughs and moves closer to Ramesses as his belly rumbles.

"Stay away from me. I'm too young to die!" Ramesses starts to run. Meliodas swoops in front of him and grabs him by the back of the neck fur. "OUCH! That hurts!"

Ramesses attempts to fight, never landing a paw on Meliodas. The dragon sin notices something odd. "Is it just me, or are you missing your claws?"

Ramesses pulls his paws back; "Weather I have claws or not isn't any of your business."

GRROOWWLLLLLL!

Ramesses shivers in fear as Meliodas looks him in the eye. "Alright talking cat, here's the deal. I won't eat you if you help me get food and drinks. Deal?"

"Hey wait a minute. I don't do favors for free you know." Meliodas shakes him and shows a little of his demon power. "OK ok. I'll work the tab out later with Wildelfredico."

"That's better." Meliodas drops him. Contrary to popular belief, the clumsy cat fails to land on his feet.

"Owe."

"Alrighty Ramie, lead the way to the nearest tavern."

That word didn't translate; "Lead you to the nearest what?"

"Tavern, of course."

"What's a t-fern?"

"You're kidding right? A pub."

That word doesn't translate either. "A tub? More specific please."

"What did you just say?"

Ramesses doesn't understand; "What was that?"

"Uh, please speak clearly. I didn't catch that."

The two no longer understand each other.

"Oh oh. We've moved out of range." Ramesses runs back down the hall and into a room. Meliodas follows him to find Willie passed out on a couch and the cat's paw in his pocket, taking out the language amulet. "We need to take this with us. It shouldn't turn off unless it breaks."

Ramesses clumsiness again becomes apparent, tripping over his own four paws and nearly dropping the amulet. Meliodas grabs it.

"I'll hang on to this, if you don't mind." He puts the amulet into his pocket.

"Now, as I was saying, lead me to the nearest pub please."

"What's a...pub?"

Meliodas looks at him strangely; "You're kidding me, right? A tavern."

Ramesses shakes his head; "Sorry, Meliodas. Those words aren't translating."

Meliodas rolls his eyes; "A bar."

This time, the word translates. "Oh, a bar. OK then. Follow me." They exist the clinic when Ramesses realizes something. "Wait, a bar? You don't mean...the kind that has..."

"What other kind is there?"

"Oh, there's coffee bars, sushi bars, ice cream and dessert bars..."

Meliodas picks up Ramesses again, looking furious; "This some kind of sick joke? You better not be playing with me."

"Put me down! THAT HURTS!" Meliodas drops him. Ramesses lands on his stomach. "OUCH! Hey, watch the ribs. Sorry Meliodas, but this is Islam and Coptic Christian country. Alcohol is taboo, forbidden, illegal, unless it's the black market."

Ramesses immediately realizes he shouldn't have mentioned that.

"Black market huh?"

GRROOWWLLLLLL! Two pedestrians passing by hear that and stop, looking strangely at Meliodas. He hugs his stomach and smiles sheepishly. "Hey guys. Sorry, I'm STARVING!"

They roll their eyes, shake their heads, and point to the fast-food joint down the street. Meliodas smells the greasy, fried food, grabs Ramesses, and takes off.

A few hours later, Meliodas walks out of the fast-food joint with a huge grin on his face, patting his belly and giving a content belch. "Much better. Man did I need that. Still disappointed he didn't have any pork though. Thanks Ramie!"

Ramesses walks out with an exasperated look on his face. If he could sweat, he'd been completely drenched several times. "Good grief! I've never even seen a herd of hungry elephants' pack away so much food. Where do you even put it all?"

"(In Arabic) Ramesses!"

Ramesses turns nervously at the owner. "Ahhh...yes sir."

"You've got till morning to pay off that tab, got it!"

Ramesses eyes bug out; "But but sir..."

"You've got all night to come up with that money. For con artist like you, it should be a snap. Get another loan if you have too. I've got a business to run, and I need food to run it, understand. Now get!"

"Everything alright Ramie?" asks Meliodas.

"Stop calling me that, and no it's not. You've really put me in a bind here Meliodas?"

"I still don't understand why he wouldn't except my gold coins. That should've been enough to pay for all the food I ate."

"Ah, maybe because your coins are worthless here."

Meliodas sneers. "What do you mean worthless? This is real, genuine Britannia currency. And it's real gold."

"That's why. You need Egyptian currency, or at least Middle Eastern which can be exchanged. Not foreign, European currency, unless it's Greek, Roman, or Turkish."

Meliodas just shrugs his shoulders and goes into his causal pose; "Oh well, no need for me to worry about it. Anyway, let's go get those drinks."

Ramesses was hoping Meliodas had forgotten about that. "But you just drank several dozen milkshakes and cream sodas!

"You know what I mean. Where are these black-market guys you mention?"

"Would you like to see Luxor Temple? They light it all up at night and its breath taking."

"Not interested!"

"I know a secret way into the off-limits areas of the Karnak Temple. Did you know it's considered the world's largest open-air museum? Visitors come from all over to see it. Only the Giza pyramid complex receives more visitors."

Meliodas puts his figures into his ears as Ramesses continues.

"The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun as its head. Although only the pharaoh and priests were allowed to enter."

"La la la la la la la..."

"HEY! I'm speaking to you."

"Are you finished yet?"

"No, just getting started."

Melidas grabs the cat again by the back of the neck fur; "I'm not interested in no history lesson Mr. Talking Scraps Cat. I only care about booze, boobs, butts, and food. And getting home and finding my friends."

Boobs and butts? "But Meliodas, I can't go to the black market right now. And please stop holding me like this."

"Sorry;" Meliodas puts him down gently; "I'm not usually grumpy. I'm suffering from withdrawal. Are you in trouble with the black market?"

"You can say that."

"Ok. Just show me where they're at. You don't have to go in."

Ramesses swoops in front of the demon; "Do you know or speak any Arabic, Turkish, Greek, German, Latin, Hindu, Russian, Persian, Chinese, or Hebrew?"

Meliodas is baffled; "Ah no. I only speak Britannian. How do I get this thing to work on the locals?"

He takes the amulet out of his pocket. Unfortunately, Ramesses says that only Willie can work it and that they shouldn't mess with it.

"Alrighty then." Meliodas picks up the cat; "Guess you'll have to be my translator again. Don't worry, I won't let anybody harm you. Maybe I can even help you out."

"Are you any good at gambling, Meliodas?"

"Sure Ramie;" the dragon sin grins; "I'm great with dice and betting on brawls, especially if I'm in them." Meliodas barely holds back his giggles, withholding the fact that he cheats at dice because he uses fake dice with only the high numbers on them, turning the odds in his favor. He'll use his trunk card sixes only dice when people get smashed enough.

"Not games of chance;" replies Ramesses; "I mean cards and board games, like poker and checkers."

Meliodas holds back a gasp. When it comes to games that require brains, skill, strategy, and patience, Meliodas' record is almost as bad as his cooking. He usually gets the challenger drunk until they pass out. If that doesn't work or they remember the challenge, he persuades them into something else, or bribes/tricks a substitute.

"Don't worry Ramie, we've got this."

Help.

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Back at the clinic, Willie is finally shaken awake by the head doctor that Meliodas is gone.

"What do you mean he's gone!"

"The nurses checked on him a few hours ago and he wasn't there. The gown he was in was on the floor and his clothes are gone. He's nowhere in the client."

"And you're only telling me this now!"

"I was performing an emergency c-section twin birth across town and just found out. The nurses said they didn't want to wake you because you were so exhausted."

"Don't tell me he's loose in the city! Where's Ramesses?"

"We can't find him either."

Willie reaches into his pocket to discover the language amulet missing. He quickly leaves the clinic. Expecting Meliodas to go to the nearest eatery, he runs up the road to see the lights still on in the "greasy, junk food" joint, which should've closed hours ago. He taps on the window.

"We're closed." Willie uses his thread magic to pick the lock and opens the door. "What do you want at this hour, monk? I don't have any leftovers for the poor tonight."

"I apologize for bothering you. But have you seen Ramesses and..."

"A short, yellow-haired boy with a ginormous appetite."

"YES! Are they still here?"

"Thank God they're not. That friendly yet ravenous kid refused to leave and really cleaned me out. Wait, are you with him?"

"Unfortunately, yes sir."

The owner shows him the tab, and Willie nearly freezes in shock. "One of you had better pay me by morning or you and that con-artist demon cat will be in servitude here for about a month until that tab is paid off."

"Why me?"

"You're a Coptic monk, correct? You should be able to get a loan from the church."

This angers Willie; "Where are they now?"

"Knowing Ramesses, probably at the black-market gambling or trying to sell his ill-gotten treasures."

Willie slaps his head; "I should've known. Where's it at?"

"How should I know?"

Willie has had it and wraps his threads around the man very tightly; "Ok, don't need to play rough. Try the docks. Just listen for the commotion, you'll find it."

Willie takes a moment to process his options. He realizes he must result to drastic measure to get out of this mess. "You'll have your money by morning. I garneted it." He lets the man go and races for the boat docks.

"Meliodas, you're going suck the life out me quicker then Herman."

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Back in Amalfi, Elizabeth glazes out at the sea, with her palm lovely on her belly, processing what she learned earlier this evening. Scout had taken her aside and 'told' the princess that she's pregnant! Not only that, but she's also carrying TWINS! At first Elizabeth wondered how Scout could possibly know that, but Jaz assured the princess that she did, and that she could feel the souls of two within her, a male and female!

Elizabeth hasn't told any of the boys yet, she'd rather tell Meliodas first. After 3,000 years of infertility caused by the curses, she's FINALLY PREGNANT! Elizabeth and Meliodas had only recently started talking about children. The twins' father will be ecstatic, then probably faint when he learns it's twins.

"Hey Elizabeth, what are doing out here?"

Elizabeth turns her head to see Hawk behind her. "Hawk, I was just..."

"You miss Meliodas, don't you?"

The princess stares out into the night; "Yes I do."

"Is he still a real pervert?"

Elizabeth giggles; "Even more so."

Hawk shakes his head; "How do you put up with that? I can't believe you actually let him do that."

"I've gotten used to it after 3,000 years. Yes, it's embarrassing sometimes, but I'd rather have Meliodas do it then not do it. It's just the way he is."

"I wish he'd learn some self-control. Hey look, there's Scout."

Elizabeth looks down. Sure enough, there's Scout standing on the beach looking up at them. They wave and she waves back.

"Elizabeth, what was Scout saying to you this evening?"

"Oh, just girl talk."

"Girl talk, Scout?"

Elizabeth smiles; "Yes."

"I mean did she actually, talk? I think she can, but she only talks to Jaz, I think."

"Hey Elizabeth!" Zeldris calls out; "Those girls are waiting. You promised them a story, mine sucks."

"Oh yes. I'm coming."

Zeldris notices Scout looking up at them. While her eyes are covered, he has a feeling that their pupils are meeting. "I don't know why, but I have a feeling that I somehow know her, but how and why? It's strange, but I no longer find it creepy. I find it, comforting somehow."

As Scout watches them leave, her heart is crying out and tears are falling down her cheeks from underneath her dark shades (facial features obscured by shadows). Jasmine soon joins her.

"They're still not answering. I don't know what's going on down there."

Scout shrugs her shoulders and signs something.

"I know, we must dig deeper. If they still think we're dead, no wonder they proceeded without us."

Scout makes another sign, then Jaz notices her tears.

"Do you think you should tell him?"

Scout just looks down.

"I support you in whatever you decide, but if he doesn't find out from you, it'll only be..."

Scout looks at her sister and nods. Then removes her shades and cap. Her loose, wavy curls blowing in the wind as she runs into the waves.

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In her chambers, Madame Artemis paces back and forth. "Where are those girls? If they're hiding out in that Nightmare realm again.... "

"Having trouble controlling your own daughter, stepdaughter, and so-called adopted daughter?" comes the voice from behind the throne.

"Daughters! They're all my daughters. And who are you too talk? You never loved your own flesh and blood kid. I'd never treat my girls like you did yours."

"You're such a fool little sister."

"Madame, who may I ask are you speaking with?"

She hadn't heard her assistant come in. "Myself. How many times have I told you to knock before entering my chambers, Vald?"

"I am sorry Madame. I'm here to inform you that the Japanese team have successfully completed their mission."

"They have? Send them in please."

"I guess those minions of yours are good for something;" comes the voice.

"Quite."

The demon slayer and her two teammates enter the chambers and present they're leader with what looks like a pink pearl.

"Yes, YES!" Madame takes the pearl; "You've done well. Each of you will be receiving a bonus in your pay and you may have the next few days off."

The demon slayer rises; "Madame Artemis, I request permission to pursue a personal mission Ma'am."

"You may proceed."

The team leaves. Madame Artemis stares at the pearl in her hand.

"FINALLY! After 5,000 years, I finally have one of the pieces."

"It's no good without the other four;" comes the voice; "Remember that without my information, you'd never succeed in finding them."

"Watch your mouth!"

A giant, lighting thunder bolt crashes through the roof, just barely missing Madame.

"Take that as a warning little sister. Soon my powers will finally be fully recovered, and you'll be at my mercy once again."

We'll see about that, sister dearest.

Outside the mountain, the demon slayer gets her gear together and opens a portal. Right before it closes, Nuri, wearing the red cloak of the vine lady, follows suit.