❝ 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. ❞

*𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯*

Slender candles were lit making only a small pool of light as they were hanged on each wall allowing the three to only see very little. However, that quickly changed as they saw a bright pool of light as the shadow of a woman showed, stirring the caldron as she hummed a tune that only she knew. 

"Stir it good and stir it well, let not one bit of hope live well."

"Watch as it dives deep in the murky waters of hell, as my prey smiles down at their demise."

"I shall feast, and I shall laugh, for I have accomplished my meal."

The witch cackled as she glanced over her shoulder to show the four there, tied up and still in their little dreamland. "Aren't I just so generous? You die happily in your dreams not feeling the pain of death!" The witch smiled creepily down at them, examining each one of them only to stop short as she finally saw Hawks. 

"A pig? Why would I wish for a pig?! Disgusting meat with no soul!" The witch exclaimed in anger and waved her hand towards Hawks, a bark of wood sprouting from the ground and grabbing Hawks, a part of the hut opening as the bark of wood threw Hawks away into the distance. 

"Bah! What a waste of energy!" The witch complained under her breath as she continued to stir whatever liquid was inside the cauldron. In the far right were three figures, all three of them examining the witch to try and see when it would be best to strike.

"I say we kill the old hag now. It'll save us the trouble." Ban suggested as he lifted his sacred treasure only for it to be pulled down by Gowther. "Not now, the witch still has a good hold of the other three, if we move now then the witch will most likely just kill the others." Gowther whispered as he intently looked at the dreaming three. 

"Then what do we do?" Escanor asked him, having to look down to even see Gowther. Gowther turned quiet for a while before sighing. "Escanor, you'll distract her as I and Ban go and free the others. Try to give us as much time as possible, okay?" Gowther asked him, looking up to see Escanor as he nodded. 

"How is Escanor even gonna distract the old hag? She seems to know that we're close by." Ban countered, doubt spreading his features. "I say we just get Govinda and get out of here." Ban suggested earning him two pairs of glares from his comrades. 

"We can't leave the other three, we made a deal remember?" Gowther harshly whispered to him making Ban sigh in annoyance. "Besides, Captain is the only one who knows what Govinda looks like, so it's either make the witch give it to us or we leave now with nothing to show for our efforts." Escanor added making Ban groan. 

"Isn't Govinda just like... a metal compass?" Ban asked Gowther making him shake his head. "Govinda is almost like a metal compass, but instead of pointing to East and West, stuff like that, instead it points to the thing or person that you wish to find most and it'll lead you there." Gowther explained to him making Ban nod his head slowly in understanding. 

"All right, we've wasted enough time already. Escanor, go!" Gowther whisper-yelled as Escanor nodded and walked out of their hiding place alerting the witch. "You! Intruder of my forest! What have you come here for? To become my meal?" The witch asked him as the plant life around her became alive, shielding her from Escanor seeing her figure. 

Escanor's usual cocky smile was still on his face, though his eyes glistened with glee. "I have come here to see the rumored Nature Witch, and I must say that I am not disappointed." Escanor answered her, his sacred treasure not in his hands and instead to where the other two used to be hiding. 

While Ban and Gowther went to retrieve Meliodas and the others the witch blushed shyly at what he just said. "You have come here to see me?" The witch questioned him, Escanor nodding. "Yes, and your beauty does not disappoint." Escanor replied and took a careful step, testing the waters. 

Once seeing that the witch wished for him to come closer Escanor did and walked closer towards her. "I have heard tails of your beauty and so, I have come here to see it for myself. Now, all those tails that I have been told as a mere child can never measure up to the beauty before me." Escanor said in a husky voice quickly lowering her guard. 

Putting away everything that was guarding her the witch looked at him revealing her average appearance, although she was missing a nose. "Have you? My, I have never been so flattered! Please, tell me your name traveler." The witch asked him as she handed him her calloused hand. 

Grasping her hand gently Escanor bowed and kissed it. "My name is," Pulling his head back up Escanor gave her a teasing smirk. "Aelius." Escanor introduced himself in his fake name. Being far too entranced by his charms the witch completely ignored her mind telling her that he was lying. 

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Aelius." The witch smiled up at him as he rose. Escanor smiled back, "The pleasure is all mine, my lady."

As both of them were chatting Ban and Gowther were both busy trying to untie the knots that the witch made. "Damn, what is she, a pro knitter?" Ban complained under his breath as Gowther was also trying to untie the knots that the witch made. 

"These are pretty tightly done, it almost makes you wonder how many times she had to do this to get this good." Gowther also whispered, though sighed as he instead pulled out a pocket knife and began to thaw it out. 

Looking at Gowther with a frown a tick mark appeared on his head at the idea. 'You could have at least told me!' Ban complained in his mind as he pulled out his own blade, cutting the knot off as Melidoas fell onto his arms. 

Holding Diane in his arms Gowther motioned for Ban to do the next one earning him a nod in agreement. Cutting off Elizabeth's ropes she fell onto his arms as Ban carried his captain and Elizabeth away. 

Quietly running over towards their hiding spot Gowther and Ban placed down the three and made sure that they were still alive, and thankfully, they were. "Now, all that we have to do is wake up Captain and we're good to go!" Ban exclaimed as he began to try and shake Meliodas awake only for Meliodas to fall deeper into his dream. 

"Damn it! How do we wake them up?" Ban asked Gowther only for him to shrug his shoulders. "I suppose only the witch should know that." Gowther replied only for the three of them to freeze as the sound of the witch gasping reached their ears. 

"I've been betrayed! You have lied to me!" The witch screeched as she lunged towards Escanor only for the said male to grab her, slamming her onto the table making the cauldron fall down as the liquid inside the cauldron poured out into the ground, sizzling before disappearing.

"My oil! You damn fool, what have you done!" The witch cried as she tried to reach for her things only to be slammed down once more on the table. "Now that we have the other three retrieved there is no reason to be wary of you." Escanor smirked as the witch looked up at him, only to cackle. 

"You have every right to be wary of me now, mortal! I am the witch of the forest, and everything here is under my command!" The witch cackled once more only to stop short as she saw the others pull out their sacred treasure. 

"Well, it is surely not nice to meet you, but we are the Seven Deadly Sins if you wished to know." Gowther introduced themselves, pushing his glasses up making light reflect off of them. "Fox Sin of Greed, how ya doin'?" Ban introduced himself and licked his lips, pure excitement filling his orbs. 

"I am the Lion Sin of Pride, I imagine it must be a pleasure to bask in my heavenly glory. By the way, my real name is Escanor." Escanor re-introduced himself, his cocky smirk still on his face. Watching the three look at her the witch began to shake as small tears began to run away from her eyes. 

"S-Seven Deadly Sins...? I'm screwed..." The witch whispered the last part under her breath. "Now, we'll let you go if you retrieve ou comrades to us, and give us what we're looking for." Gowther demanded her in a dark tone, his words sending threats to her mind without the witch even realizing it. 

"Y-Yes! Of course!" The witch agreed and waved her hands towards the three, all three of them beginning to groan as they slowly opened their eyes. Away was the lovely dream of being with their beloved as they finally remembered what happened, their faces grim with misery after realizing what a horrible tragedy of a reality that they were now aware of. 

"(Y/N)..." Diane cried softly as she hanged her head down low, the memory of their peaceful and perfect life in her dreams now nothing but that, a memory. Sad tears fell down her soft cheeks as Elizabeth yearned for the sight of her and (Y/N) together again, their two children buried deep within their arms. 

Frowning at the dream, Meliodas was now more determined to make the time that both of them had together in his dreams a reality. Looking back over at the witch Gowther walked towards her and stopped once they were merely a few inches apart. 

"Now, tell us where you have hidden Govinda." Gowther demanded, his eyes turning dark sending a shiver down the witch's spine. Gulping down her fear the witch looked away from him, her scared eyes now showing a hint of anger. 

"You powerful people have come here for such an item? I have things that'll make kingdoms fall just to get it, but yet you disturb my humble domain in search of such a low-class item? Take it! It's in the cabinet under the frog legs." The witch answered them earning an approving nod from Gowther. 

Walking towards said cabinet Gowther pulled the handle and opened it revealing a small little compass. The compass had a golden outer tier as a long chain showed on top of it, the chain also being golden. The compass, which looked a lot like a compass, was indeed not a compass. Instead, it had no East or West, nor did it have an arrow. It was blank. 

"Are you pulling our leg, old hag?" Ban asked her in a threatening voice, the witch quickly shaking her head. "No! You just have to think about who you want to find and it'll find that person or thing for you!" The witch explained to Ban in a desperate voice, wishing to get out of the painful grip of the Pride Sin. 

Gowther nodded and walked over towards his captain and showed it to him. "Well, is this it?" Gowther asked him as Meliodas nodded and got up, the other three following soon after.

"That's Govinda alright." Meliodas confirmed it as he and the others walked over towards the witch. "Now, open the door." Meliodas commanded her as the witch did just that. A huge chunk of the hut rotted away at a rapid pace showing the outside world, the plants that they fought earlier showing as they were in their resting place.

Walking away from her Meliodas took something out of a cabinet as everyone did the same, taking something with them for the troubles. Once seeing that they were leaving, the witch sighed in relief only to see someone behind her. 

"We can't let any witnesses, right?" Opening her eyes wide she saw her own body cut into two as the upper half fell slowly, landing on the floor as blood spluttered out at concerning speeds. 

Chuckling as he walked away from the witch, Escanor walked away with the others, the woods soon burning away as the hut did, too, since the witch that was keeping it alive died.

Reaching her hand towards them, the witch looked at them with such hatred that it could make mountains fall in fright. "I... will..." The fire soon consumed her as her eyes became droopy, her stamina quickly depleting as she took her last breath, though the angry fire consuming her body was no match for the rage inside of her, quickly consuming her mind and soul.

"... have my revenge!"

(ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴅᴀʏ/ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴍʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇꜱ!)