The Hydra Sin

Suspicion

Before I could say anything else, I found myself trapped in Diane's hand and the two sins were glaring at me menacingly. I sighed and murmured "Mist body" quietly, reforming on the ground a little way from everyone, "Well, I can't say that I didn't expect that, but I personally would like to end this day in one piece, so how about we all sit and talk about this like civilized human beings."

"Why would we listen to anything you have to say? You killed Zaratras and abandoned us, you are the one with the real sin!" Diane exploded I shook my head sadly.

"Diane's right, Janis, how could we be expected to trust you in a situation like this? If we allow you to be free, we don't know when you might stab us in the back." Meliodas agreed with Diane and I sighed and shook my head.

"I wish I could do something that would remove all doubt of my innocence, but I know that that is impossible right now. Perhaps if Gowther were here, or even King, but for right now you would be suspicious of me no matter what." The looks my comrades gave me only confirmed my suspicions.

"Listen, I told the Princess that what happened ten years ago were more than what it seemed, and I meant it. Despite what you all believed, I honestly have never enjoyed my role as an assassin, and I would never have killed Zaratras, who was like a father to me. Just because my sin is deception doesn't mean that I am automatically going to deceive you at every turn."

"I wish we could believe you Janis; knowing that we had you on our side would be a real load off our shoulders, and I could see you being a valuable asset to the mission, but that isn't going to happen. Diane, restrain her and we will decide what to do with her once we get going again." Meliodas addressed us almost sadly, but I shook my head as Diane approached me.

"Really Captain? You saw me get away from her earlier without any issues, and you think that she can take me down now? I mean, she doesn't even have her Gideon with her; she is honestly no match for me." I said with a small, sad smile on my face.

"You seem awfully cocky for someone who is going up against two of the Eight Deadly Sins without a sacred treasure." Diane appeared confident that she would win any confrontation that came, but the truth was exactly the opposite.

"Diane, you seem to have forgotten that my sacred treasure is a mist sword that forms when I need it, Durendal is always here you just weren't observing it. Also, I refuse to fight you, that isn't my purpose, neither is it yours. Please give this up." I did a backflip to avoid her hand as she swiped at me.

"I had hoped that we would at least be able to talk, but I guess I was overly optimistic; sadly, my schedule doesn't include spending time as your captive, I have much better things I could be doing, so I'll just have to see you again when I've found a way to prove my innocence." I turned to leave, but obviously, it wasn't going to be that easy.

Two presences approached me from behind and I sighed and turned around and used my Banshee's screech. Everyone began to collapse as their strength was taken from them, "You honestly seem to be making a habit of underestimating me, I thought you knew me at least a little better than that since we worked together for so long. There is a reason I was the best assassin and spy in the kingdom, I'm no slouch when it comes to magic concealment and decapacitation; the only surprise here is that you thought I would be so easy to take."

With that I turned back around and walked away into the mist; I didn't want to leave, but in order to be able to protect everyone and help them the best I could, I needed to be free. I would stay relatively close to everyone and try to help them where I could, but my main goal would be in gaining King's trust and maybe even finding Gowther, who would be able to tell instantly what was true

"By the way, Ban is closest, and he is the best choice to go after for right now. I'll get in contact with him before you get there, so just know that I will be helping from the sidelines. Someday you will realize that I actually was telling the truth the whole time and when you do, I would love to get to know you as I never was able to when we worked together before."

I summoned Durendal and released my hold on them just in time to go to my mist body and zoom into the darkness. I knew that the group could handle themselves, so I headed to talk to another comrade, and hope that he would accept me.

***

Baste Dungeon stood before me, proud and strong, just begging to be broken into, and though I would love to just fly in, I knew that this visit would require more finesse than that, so I reformed in a shadow near the entrance and made a quick strategy. I could easily find Ban's position by locating his magical energy, but I would have to deal with all of the guards and Holy Knights, so they wouldn't even be able to remember what happened.

I thought and realized what I could do, I hadn't used this power in a long time, perhaps not even for centuries; it was the Banshee's call. My cousins were the sirens, so when we sang, we had the power to sway the hearts of humans; I hadn't used this, because I had found no reason for it, but it was perfect for a situation like this. I needed to knock out anyone who could possibly give me trouble, and this was the quickest way. Even better, this would allow me to talk to Ban unhindered since his immortality would probably throw off the spell a lot quicker than anyone else.

I took a deep breath and began to sing as I walked slowly towards the entrance, singing the song I had been taught as a child.

"Blah khien barrah fweelah, Blah khien aiza krum, Aloe khio bragam harah eefnell, Broe floe mesing lah, breeyoolah naaadryu. Sorin sar akhwah, roe hagroe nonestroe, Broilin sar akhwah, mortsin danah bradeh, Broilin sar akhwah, noe-... Weeben proe, proe sah yakmah, haryay nakhah."

English translation: Lovely night has come to us, Lovely night, soft and dark, The lovely night that ends. A long and hard, weary day, So rest... Lay your body down, Forget your life, Spiders of the night come, spin your silky webs, Spiders of the night come, bind them in their sleep now, Spiders of the night, spin! Wrapped in your shroud, Dead to the world... Just like my son"

The guards were dropping like flies as I approached, which was the same story as I went through the castle, this was a spell that very few would be able to counteract, and those who could wouldn't be working for the Kingdom.

I approached where I felt Ban's energy and gave one final push, falling to my knees gasping, it had taken a lot of energy to cast a spell that large and I wasn't used to using that kind of magical energy. I stood up slowly and approached the guards, leaning against the wall as I grabbed the keys.

I finally made it inside the cell and saw someone pinned against the wall like a butterfly held up with spikes. He worked a gag out of his mouth and said, "It's been a while, Janis, what made you want to come and visit a delinquent like me? Here to kill me?"

I shook my head and slid down the wall, "I just wanted to talk; well, that and give you some news that I'm sure you've missed being locked in this lovely cell."

"Sarcasm? I thought you had about as much sense of humor as the dead you helped!" He grinned at me, and I c****d my head in confusion.

"Wait, you're joking with me? I would have thought that you hated me like the other sins do, seeing as how you guys think I killed Zaratras."

He chucked, with a bit of blood rolled down his chin from the gag, "Well, if you had come here about five years ago, you might have been right, but I've had a lot of time to think over the years, and how we found him just wasn't you. In all the time I've known you, you've never made a huge fuss about your jobs, it was always neat and tidy, but Zaratras was a bloody mess."

"Besides, if you had killed him, I don't see why you would have been just standing in front of his corpse, you would have left. When I realized that, some things clicked into place, while others clicked out, but I knew that there was no way you had done anything."

My jaw gaped open at him, "Wow Ban, you really put a lot of thought into this. You really must have been bored in here! I just wish that the Captain and Diane would be able to see things the way you do."

He frowned, "You've seen them? Are we gathering again?"

"Yup, I narrowly missed a fight with those two in the Forest of White Dreams. They are on their way, probably wanting to save you from any of my nefarious deeds." I sighed and smacked my head lightly against the wall I was sitting against.

"Well, no one ever gave them credit for being the smartest people ever, though King and Merlin probably had it figured out. Anyways, what was that song you were singing? I felt an incredible amount of magical energy that doesn't feel like anything you've done before."

"Oh, that? That was an old Banshee's song I learned as a child, I haven't used it in a long time because I never saw the need, but I it doesn't work very well on immortals, so basically just you right now."

He looked like he wanted to keep asking questions, but I cut him off before he could, "Listen, I need to get out of here before they wake up, I'll leave the escaping to you, but I came to see if I could set up a telepathic link through Durendal? That way, we could stay in touch and if we ever needed each other, then we have a way to get in contact."

"Won't you be joining us once I help the others see that you aren't a danger to us?" He looked at me hopefully and I smiled sadly back.

"I would love to, but knowing them, I might not be able to rejoin the team until we find Gowther. I hope that's wrong but, that is what's likely." He nodded and I stood up and approached him, summoning Durendal and murmuring a spell. "There we go, talk to me whenever you want, and I hope to see you soon."

With that, I walked back to the door and opened it, "Oh and Ban?" He looked at me questioningly, "You said at first that you thought my spirits weren't sarcastic. I'll have you know that most of the spirits I help could teach you a lesson in sarcasm, so don't underestimate them, or me!" I winked and left him behind, hearing his rich laugh ring out behind me as I left to go see what the others were up to.