Turning Back The Clock

Ban was anxious as the group walked quietly through the halls. Zeldris had managed to deactivate their cell without suspicion from the guards outside, giving them the opportunity for Merlin to use that cloaking spell on them again.

But that didn't help the nerves the immortal felt after knowing that Meliodas wouldn't remember them again. He felt a lot of things about that.

Guilt from knowing it was because of him telling the boy everything. Maybe it had been too soon? Maybe the boy hadn't been ready? Maybe he shouldn't have let the child go back. He should've insisted the kid take more time to process before he went back home with emotions so high.

And the other emotion competing for the top spot was doubt. Doubt that this plan was going to work. Doubt that Meliodas was going to believe them and let them take him far away from his "home". And also doubt that he'd be able to take seeing the blond look at him so blankly all over again. He had held it together pretty well last time, but that was because he had to. The other sins had all been freaking out and he had to step up to ensure they'd get they're captain back. But instead, after all of that work and effort, things still fell apart and he had only managed to hurt the Cap'n worse by getting him his memory erased twice. 

Stop it. There isn't any point on dwelling on this any longer. What's done is done, now I just need to focus on my current task. Although, I'm still doubting how well this'll turn out. I'm not sure how this trinket Zeldris gave me will make Meliodas believe us when we say he sent us. It's just a locket. 

Sneaking through the corridors as quietly as possible, Ban kept a tight fist around the necklace to ensure it wouldn't be dropped on their way to Meliodas's room. It wasn't terribly far, but the group as a whole was still very stressed about getting to the room as quickly as possible. The spell Merlin used was flimsier than last time since she made it to where no one could see them at all, but that made the time frame go from two hours to fifteen minutes in which they'd have to grab the child and get out by. 

Arriving at the door quickly, the group didn't even bother knocking as they burst through the room and shut the door behind them with equal speed, causing the young boy to jump in freight, thoroughly startled by the people suddenly in his room. 

"W-Who the heck are you guys?"

The words stung but were understandable given the circumstances. And it wasn't like they had time to dwell on the feeling, they only had seven minutes left to get out before the spell wore out.

"Listen kid, I know this is weird, and I'm sure your brother Zeldris has talked to you about going places with strangers, but something bad is about to happen and your brother sent us to get you. He gave us this locket to show ya as proof."

Definitely not the most tactful way of handling this situation, but they didn't exactly have time for a chat. They just had to hope this would work. Because the alternative was Ban using Fox Hunt on the kid to keep from being demolished as he scooped up the boy and ran like hell. 

The boy blinked for a second before studying the locket closer as Ban handed it to the kid. 

"Yeah okay. So where are we going?"

The sin of greed probably should've just accepted the answer and left, but the compliance was so surprising he couldn't help but ask. 

"Wha- That's it? Ya don't want us to explain how we know your brother or what's going on or anything?"

"Nah, this is definitely the locket I gave him, it even has the notes in it, see? And you guys aren't even close to being strong enough to take it from him by force."