The town of Dalmally stood under siege.
Holy Knights in gleaming silver armor patrolled the streets, forcing terrified villagers into their homes at swordpoint. The banners of the corrupted Liones military fluttered in the cold wind—symbols that once inspired pride now spread fear.
At the edge of town, near the treeline, Acedia stood beside Meliodas, eyes half-closed, posture loose.
He could hear the villagers' panicked cries in the distance, but the sounds barely registered. His gaze drifted lazily over the Holy Knights moving in formation.
"They've got about fifteen knights posted up at the main square,"
Meliodas whispered, crouched beside him in the grass.
Next to him, a silver-haired girl in a white dress nervously clutched the hem of her skirt. Her wide eyes darted between the town and the two strange men beside her.
Elizabeth Liones, princess in hiding.This was her first time meeting Acedia.
"W-who is he?" Elizabeth asked softly, her voice trembling.
Meliodas flashed his usual grin. "Oh, him? That's Acedia—the 8th Deadly Sin. Sin of Apathy."
Elizabeth blinked, confused. "Apathy?"
Acedia spoke without looking at her."It means I don't care."
His tone was flat, his grey eyes dull beneath messy strands of black hair. Dark circles underlined them—permanent souvenirs of sleepless nights.
Beside Elizabeth, Hawk, the talking pig, snorted in protest.
"Oi! What kind of hero says something like that? We're supposed to be saving people here, not moping around!"
Acedia barely turned his head toward the pig. His lips parted just enough for his dry voice to slip through.
"I don't save people. I just stand where I'm told."
The Approach of the Knights
Metal clanged in the distance.
The Holy Knights spotted them and began marching forward, swords drawn.
Fifteen knights, armored head to toe, their leader wielding a massive glaive.
Their captain, Sir Corvel, pointed his weapon at the group.
"By order of the Holy Knights of Liones, surrender yourselves! You're all under arrest for treason!"
Meliodas stood calmly, arms crossed, sword sheathed.
"I think we'll pass on that," he said, smirking.
Elizabeth shivered, but Acedia remained still. His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sacred treasure, Thanatos, but he didn't draw it.
Sir Corvel snarled. "Kill them all."
The knights charged.
Unleashing Null Heart
Acedia sighed—a soft, breathless sound.
"Fine."
In that instant, the air changed.
It wasn't magic in the traditional sense. There was no glowing aura, no dramatic blast of energy.
Instead, a wave of emptiness rippled out from Acedia's body. A cold, hollow pressure washed over the field like an invisible tide.
The charging knights slowed.
Then stopped.
One by one, they staggered, their weapons trembling in their hands.
Sir Corvel's eyes widened as his heart pounded—then suddenly, it stopped pounding.
He dropped his glaive, falling to his knees, sweat streaming down his face.
"I can't… move…"
One knight collapsed, eyes dull, staring into nothing.Another gripped his chest, gasping for breath, only to realize he wasn't actually suffocating—he just forgot how to care about breathing.
Acedia's power seeped into their minds, slicing away fear, courage, hatred—everything.
Null Heart:
"Why fight?""Why try?""Why exist?"
Their minds whispered those questions as they dropped their weapons and sank into the mud.
Fifteen Holy Knights rendered helpless—not by strength, but by the absence of will.
Meliodas whistled, impressed. "Still works like a charm."
Elizabeth stared, horrified but fascinated.
"What… what did he do to them?"
Meliodas answered calmly, "That's Null Heart. His magic doesn't break bones—it breaks the will to care. It's like drowning in apathy."
Acedia let out a slow breath, his shoulders slumping slightly as the aura faded.
The knights wouldn't die—they'd wake eventually—but for now, they were empty shells, sitting in the grass, staring at nothing.
Aftermath
As silence returned to the battlefield, Elizabeth walked cautiously toward Acedia.
Her hands clenched into nervous fists.
"Why… why do you have a power like that?"
Acedia's grey eyes flicked toward her, his gaze heavy but disinterested.
"Because I'm broken," he whispered, voice low. "And now the world is too."
Hawk scowled, puffing out his chest.
"Oi! That's no way to talk after saving a bunch of villagers! Show some pride!"
Acedia crouched down and stared at Hawk, his eyes half-lidded.
"I didn't do it for them."
Meliodas chuckled, patting Acedia's shoulder.
"Well, you did it anyway. That's good enough for me."
Moving On
As the villagers slowly emerged from their homes, grateful but confused by the sight of collapsed knights, Acedia turned away, adjusting the sword on his hip.
His hood fell slightly, revealing more of the cracked hourglass tattoo over his heart.
Elizabeth watched him go, her heart heavy with questions.
"Captain… is he really one of the Seven Deadly Sins?"
Meliodas smiled softly, eyes distant.
"Nope," he whispered."He's something even worse."
AN/narrator:
And so, the 8th Sin of Apathy walked alongside them, not because he wanted to—but because, for the first time in a long time, doing nothing felt heavier than moving forward.