The cool air of the forest lulled the turmoil inside me. The pain behind my eye was gone and the dream, memory, whatever it was had faded away. Only my resolve to take down the Seven Deadly Sins remained.

But something wasn't right! I blasted the tree I was leaning on. It crumbled into ash as flames covered my fist and arm.

A roar rose from the festival and no matter how much I itched to be ring side, biding my time, I couldn't be there now. As Leraj used to tell me, I got a teeny bit unstable when I was upset. Try breathing. He said that so often that was the mantra itself.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe-

"Argh!" A smoking hole the size of a dinner plate marred a tree trunk, skewering it straight through. And the one behind it. And the one behind that and the one after that. It continued for another five trees, growing smaller in smaller in size until it was just a blackened path on the final tree.

The canopy shook, birds taking flight with screeches. I drew a deep breath, the flames finally dying on my arm. There. Now I was calm. A resounding crack! echoed then a grating groan. The closest tree toppled to the ground.

I slumped down, head between my knees. I had to think rationally. What I remembered couldn't have happened. Never, ever. I'd never been inside that tavern before – I barely frequented taverns as it was. I was definitely not friends with Meliodas and neither was I chummy with the third princess of Liones.

That only left one option.

A member of their team had mind manipulative powers. But which one? I was never going to know. Unless I went back down there and continued the mission. All my heart needed was a thought to sky-rocket. Maybe... Leraj had been right.

I waited a while longer. The sun was high in the sky when I got to my feet, dusting dirt and leaves from my armour and shorts. I was unsure what would happen when I got back down there; I hoped no more conflicting hallucinations. My mind was both my safe haven and my worst enemy. I admitted it wouldn't take much to throw me over the edge with the right fodder.

The crowd was still roaring on top of the hill as I trudged back to it. I unstrapped my sword and readjusted the loop so it attached to another two loops at the top of the scabbard. I made sure to design my sheathe so I could easily fasten it to my back or to my waist depending on the situation.

Just as I was finishing the last of the fastenings around my waist, a voice hollered at me. "Hey, you!" I blinked then squinted at the figure standing in the middle of the road.

It was a pink pig with a barrel strapped to its back. Wait, it was the same pink pig I'd tripped over. But had it just talked? I walked closer and called out a tentative hello.

It squawked. "It is you!"

I reared back as it leapt at me, sobbing, tears streaming from its eyes and nose. I drew my sword, pointing the tip at the hog's nose.

"Estra!" It yelped, taking a few shaky steps back. "What's wrong?"

"How the hell do you know my name, porky?" I snarled, feinting a jab.

"Stop thrusting your sword in my face! Where did you even get that? Never mind that, where have you been? Everyone's been worried sick."

"I don't know who you are," I replied vehemently. "Now I suggest you get out of my way before you become a shish-kebab on my blade."

Those doleful eyes widened and wobbled. "Estra, it's me. It's Hawk. Remember, Captain of the Scraps Disposal."

A jolt ran from toes to head but I ignored the familiarity his name sparked within. "Like I said, I don't know who you are."

I sheathed my blade. The pig – Hawk – was made of stone. I walked past, steps hurried, panting even though I'd barely done anything. The throb was pounding against behind my right eye. I kept my hand on the amber stone in the hilt of my sword, running my thumb over and over the oval as the unease inside me built up.

That pig knew my name. First the hallucination, now a talking pig. I glanced over my shoulder but the pig was nowhere to be see. I breathed a sigh of relief; the pounding was beginning to dissipate. The roar of people began again – another match completed by the sounds of it.

Turn your attention back to the mission. The sooner this was over, the better. Then I could return home and curl into Leraj's arms and tell him he was right all along.

The crush of people around the ring meant I couldn't wade my way through to the front and see which round they were up to. If it was close to the end round then my mission would begin. And that I missed most of the fighting I'd wanted to see – even if they were in it.

Love Helm's voice sailed over the ground, silencing them. "And now the final match!" Glumly, I folded my arm. "Between Matrona! And Meliodaz!" My eyes narrowed and I elbowed my way to the front, a few snarls thrown here and there when the citizens decided to shout curses and threats to my back. They could have chosen a less conspicuous name for the captain of the sins but I guess brains went out the window when you had brawn to obliterate everything.

Now I'd see him fight. I'd see how he was able to kill everyone in my village.

Obviously there had been a brilliant battle earlier because the ring had been caved in about a metre and a fissure ran through one side to the other. There were also blood splatters. The woman from earlier – cause it could have only been her – no longer had a hat and cloak. She wore a strange pink top and short skirt, with one long sock and mismatched shoes. Whoever dressed her had no fashion sense.

The fight had just been called and they were already at it. The girl was throwing her punches though. She didn't fit the description of any of the sins so that made her a companion of theirs, one quite strong too. It was like she was afraid to hurt Meliodas. Even so, Meliodas dodged her blows with ease when he wanted to and caught a few on his face when he didn't. They were throwing the match.

Just as Love Helm assumed they would if two sins or their companions ended up in the finals. They were only after the Sacred Treasure wielded by the giant girl. It wouldn't be long now – Jericho and Guila should be drawing nearer. Anticipation welled but I was careful to keep it under check.

Every head turned as three ladies coyly batted their eyelashes at Meliodas. Two bared their legs up to mid thigh and the other grabbed the top of her bodice and pulled it down a touch to show the swell of breasts.

"Oo, Meliodaz. Don't we have a surprise for you!" one cooed.

"Hurry up and win the contest so you can spend time with us," another said in a husky voice.

"Yeah, instead of that girl up there." The third one gave a flirty wave to Meliodas and a scathing glare at Matrona.

The silver haired man grinned his fox grin and palmed a bag of gold to one of the woman.

Matrona's power spiked and I looked back in time to see her deliver a devasting punch at the man, all the while screaming, "CAPTAIN!" The ground shook, a rumble rising up through my feet. I could almost feel it, the split running through the stone. How much longer would the ring stand?

So the girl wasn't merely a companion but a member of the Seven Deadly Sins.

They exchanged a barrage of punches again but the power behind them had changed. Each pound made the ground growl like thunder and I found myself having to split my stand more to stay balanced. Meliodas leapt high, probably intending to end the battle, but Matrona stopped it with her own.

It's go time! A small voice piped up and I stiffened, my hand falling to my sword hilt.

In the ring, Matrona was throwing a punch. She stopped it in mid-flight and both sins turned to look to face the crowd. The floating boy and the silver haired man joined their companions. I knelt to the ground, placed a hand to the earth and called upon 'Kitsune'. The rush of power was exhilarating – I guessed the clashes here today gave off immense magic power. No one noticed my movement, too focused as the Sins announced who they were and that they were taking over Vaizel.

A flaming meteor hurtled from the sky. Guila's speciality. Meliodas leapt and used Full Counter. I covered my face from the smoke and ash. Now Guila and Jericho should be landing shortly at the ring-

Several more meteors exploded on impact. Buildings were on fire, people screaming as flames rained from the heavens. Horrified – for this had not been the plan – I was shoved to the ground, trampled by a hundred feet as everyone ran for their lives.

When I rose, batted and bruised, Vaizel was burning.