Chapter 2: The Truth
𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙮
A grand podium rose in the middle of a colosseum, people stood while staring at the fight that took place on the podium and the two of us against each other. These sights were almost reminiscent of that day.
Yet some things were different.
Silence draped over the whole place like a blanket, rather than me, it was Cecilia who was defeated this time.
With a wave of my hand, several people entered the stadium. People of my organization, my companions and those who swore to me.
"We, of the round table are here to announce something to every present here," Mordred spoke through the mic, "This council and your very own Queen are betraying your trust!"
My eyes widened, my head turned back as I glared at Mordred. This was not what we planned to announce today.
But he continued to ignore my stare, as if he already expected it.
"Look at these images, these documents and the videos. They clearly show that all of these are staged. They used everyone's worries and prayers for their own money and benefits so that they can live their life lavishly."
Images popped up on the projectors, proof of the council's deception were shown as clear as the sky of a sunny day.
But, all of a sudden the projection disappeared, a boom resounded the place. Turning my head, I saw masked people who had ki swords equipped standing as an announcement was soon heard.
It was an announcement of wanting the Legacy to be handed to them.
And thus an uproar was caused, while Mordred's eyes remained wide open as if he never expected this.
Terror spread throughout the whole country, attacks from unknown groups started to occur everywhere.
A meeting was held, several nobles and the council together sat along with our organization. Apparently Mordred was a noble, his rank sat at the middle of every noble of this country. Even this felt a bit staged.
Our team, The Round Table, is based on the Arthurian Legend one. People who were abandoned by society, having no name or identity, took the name of the Knights of the legends.
And now, we stood amongst the many people to decide the country's future. But, nobles being nobles, all they thought about was their own future and welfare.
Mordred took part in the conversation while the council tried to slowly push the blames of the attacks on us since we tried to dethrone them.
Meanwhile, my eyes settled on Cecilia who sat on the other side of the table. Her face contorted, her eyes seemed to falter at my gaze.
And soon enough, a cacophony of booms echoed. The wall behind us burst open as the masked people were back again.
The Knights positioned themselves near their king while the nobles ran erratically in panic.
But all sounds around me seemed to dim as my eyes focused on the person standing in front of me.
Vera.
My mentor and someone I considered to be my mother. She taught me and made me everything I was, my swordsmanship, my habits, everything I had was from her.
Disbelief proliferated inside as I became unable to move. Seeing me her eyes widened, her lips protruded to form a grin.
"Oh what a disappointment, I had taken you in first in hopes that you might help me in taking full control of the Legacy. But look, not only did you fail before, you are also being an obstacle to me when we finally decided to take her for ourselves. You are such a disappointment Grey."
Her words stung harder than the needles that pierced me during my surgery. After being betrayed by my childhood friends, now I was even left alone by my mentor.
"Well, not like I even care about you. Listen to me council, we are here to peacefully say that we will all retreat back if you give us the Legacy we will retreat back peacefully. But if you don't, then prepare for the consequences," she said, before she along with her companions left.
Ever since then the whole country bathed in flames, news about the incident spread like wildfire. Disbelief spread amongst the people as protests rose more and more by each day.
People died hungry, overworked as their corpses rot on the road. Poverty spread further, attacks occurred more as the council ignored the general public. The effects of a war were far worse than I'd expected it to be. The smell of death lingered in every street as hope was lost amongst many people.
At the end, we had to move forward and fight back the attacks. Foods and necessities were supplied to the general people.
Yet, even after all that, people continued to die. And I never met Vera again.
Until one day Mordred brought up a really big piece of information.
Information about the organization we were against. It was an unnamed organization whose den was in the middle of a desert which belonged to no country in particular. The name of their head also wasn't here either. Just the location, it was more than enough to suspect the information to be a trap.
"So, what are you planning to do now Morgan?" Mordred asked.
Morgan, the witch of Britain and Arthur's sister. Just like how Mordred was an alias for him, the names everyone chose for themselves were an alias too, my name as Morgan is nothing but an alias chosen for me.
It suited me perfectly, a witch delving in magic craft and trying to dethrone the king.
"What is there to even say, let's go and attack straight away," I replied. While I still suspected Mordred a bit, I trusted him enough, at least more than anyone here.
"Then, choose someone to come along with us," he said.
My gaze settled down on the rest of the people that were here.
Bedivere, the first person I recruited, sitting alone in the darkness waiting for his death, who now swore to be my limbs.
Lancelot, the jobless man who was left alone by his wife and was waiting for his death lying on the road, who swore to be my sword.
Galahad, the orphan I picked from the corners of the streets, the man who swore to be my shield.
Gawain, Tristan and several others who swore to protect me with all their might.
"I'll be taking Galahad," I said after thinking through it for a while.
"Hurray!" Galahad exclaimed in joy as he jumped up. "So, you are keeping a meat shield close by," Mordred said.
Among all of us, only Galahad had the ability to conjure both Ki shields and swords, which was unique amongst itself and as a result he was named Galahad, the knight whose name was associated with a shield.
After issuing more orders to the rest of the people staying back, the three of us left the place with only taking a few of our belongings.
It took almost a whole week on the road. When we arrived, Mordred found out the perfect spots to sneak in.
After another week passed by and our plan to get in the base began. Right as soon as the guards were about to change, we got into the hideout.
It was a ruin-like structure, runes were engraved on the walls.
We continued to march forward, on our way we met several obstacles like people fighting us as soon as they realized we were invaders.
Thankfully none of their attacks made it through Galahad's shield.
Mordred continued to lead the way to us as if he knew it in the back of his head. My suspicions on Mordred continued to rise as fast as ever.
But I didn't get much time to think as Mordred halted in his tracts.
We now stood in front of a room. The door glowed in an ominous gleam. Chanting something, Mordred pushed the door as it opened pretty easily.
And what welcomed us was anything but good. Blood scattered all around the ground, headless corpses laid on the ground. Some even didn't have their torso intact.
"Ah you are here," Vera welcomed us, "I was wondering how did the knowledge of Ki runes spread there, but I guess it makes sense now. It has been a while hasn't it, Frei my son."
My vision shook, at both of the facts that she knew about the runes and that Mordred was her son. Soon everything made sense with that last click of information.
"H-Hey, I can explain-"
"Oi," I interrupted him, "my trust for you isn't that hollow for me to doubt everything after learning that you were the son of a bitch."
"I feel offended dear Grey," Vera spoke, her ki sword flashing straight for us, "You shouldn't call your teacher a bitch. Where are your manners?"
A lightning lance intercepted her sword while I stepped back to create distance between the two of us. Fibers of ki joined and white lightning crackled around me. The white lightning gathered together and an orb of white lightning was created.
The orb hurled towards Vera, stepping back she dodged it but the floor behind her wasn't that lucky. Coming in contact, the ground decayed and bursts of ki ricocheted around the room.
Raising her eyebrows Vera showed a surprised reaction. "This is my all to beat you," I spoke up, two more orbs hovering around me.
Like a wild beast, Vera kept on pouncing on me striking down all my ki projectiles. Rarely did one or two hit her. Flurries of ki spells danced around me, at my intent they hurled right at Vera.
"Just because I have less runes than you, don't underestimate me Grey," she continued to speak while striking me with her sword, "As I'm the very one who was chosen to kill the Legacy."
The white lightning orb hit her left arm, yet she didn't stop. Her eyes settled on me as if she was the hunter and I was her prey.
Galahad jumped forward and conjured a ki shield, the sword and shield clashed as bursts of ki spread around the room. Mordred's palm rested on my back, warmth spread throughout my body.
Siphoning ki from both my pool and the surroundings, I concentrated on the tip of my wand, lightning crackled as soon enough the yellowish lightning had now turned to light amethyst.
But my body couldn't take it and the amethyst lightning turned to a small orb of azure energy. "Galahad!"
At my command, Galahad sidestepped out of the way and a beam of azure launched towards Vera. Sensing the incoming danger, she sidestepped, but she was late.
The beam engulfed her right arm leaving her without any functioning limbs, but the weird glow in her eyes sent chills to my spine.
Pushing Mordred away, I quickly retreated back. Apparently a ki sword was in the place where we had once been standing.
Looking up I saw it, even being decapitated Vera equipped her ki sword with her teeth. Even Tenacious would be an understatement to describe her determination.
Ki traveled from my pool and the surroundings, lightning sparked turning into lances. My whole concentration was on conjuring the lances.
I visualized it, sharper, longer and faster, and ki responded in kind as spells catering to my intent were created. Vera was still just as relentless, kicking off the ground she marched wildly cutting down every single one of my spells.
Versatility, that was what I lacked, my sudden change of fighting style from hand to hand combat to this spellcasting had come with a major sacrifice. My combat flexibility.
A raging lance transforming to a sharp blade, I visualized it. Pointing my wand forward I released the spell, the lances turned to swords and swung straight at Vera.
Somehow twisting her neck Vera fended the swords off and then the very next moment she was in front of me. But my wand was also right in front of her face.
A visual formed in my mind, Lightning branching out of staff towards Vera. A wave of electricity washed over her as she was pushed back. Even I was surprised by the weak force my spell just had, but I soon realized the reason for it.
Bubbles formed on her mouth, her body spasmed and fell to the ground. "Kuh, you never fail to amaze me. You ever wondered why you in such a small orphanage had met Cecilia? Your beloved headmaster was nothing but a pawn of your government, gathering children and admitting the Legacy there. Absolutely nothing was going wrong until we got a hold of their traces. Oh how must she would have hated you-"
Her words were cut short, Mordred's sword impaled her heart, killing her as a result. "Morgan, are you okay?" He asked out of worry. "I am alright," I replied back.
The doubts that revolved in my mind on it for a long time were now finally cleared, there was no way someone so wanted like Cecilia would be admitted to our shabby little orphanage that easily. No matter how much I didn't want to accept it, it was the reality.
A hot, metallic taste filled my mouth due to me biting the inside of my cheek.
"Let's go, we have work to do now," I said.
Taking pictures and writing down whatever that was written on the walls, the three of us set a bomb and made our way outside of the ruin.
Soon enough a boom was heard as a mushroom-like cloud of dust rose.
"This ended faster than I expected it to," Galahad spoke while the two of us just nodded in response.
Something popped up in my mind, we never actually got to see the head of this organization.
When I approached Mordred about it, he said that he never got to meet the head, he was so rare to see that many even considered him to be nothing but a made-up identity.
"So, is it time for that now?" I asked.
"Hmm," Mordred meekly nodded, "if we don't strike now, then we will never get such a perfect situation ever again."
Not only were the public favoring us, some of the many nobles had also taken our side thanks to the conflict.
Strike the iron when it is hot. It was finally time for us to strike.
*****
The entire place lay in ruins, blood and corpses scattered all around me. A trail of blood followed me with every step I took, the crimson scarlet cape of mine turned deeper with each passing moment as I continued to kill.
Now in front of me was my friend, lying unconscious in his lover's embrace as he had an injury on his head.
Cecilia's eyes were tinged in a deep craze, it almost felt as if she wasn't the same girl who was my childhood friend.
"Vanish out my sights, and I shall overlook that you were here at all," I said. Cecilia's eyes filled with gratitude as she ran out of the room while carrying Nico in her arms.
An odd feeling formed inside of me, when we first fought, the only thought that was on my mind was revenge. Yet, now I didn't even think about it when she was right in front of me.
A palm rested on my head as it rustled my hair.
"H-Hey!" I complained at the sudden act. Mordred giggled at my antics as he spoke, "You have grown up."
"Huh? Of course I have!" I replied while he continued to chuckle. Soon the other members of the Round Table gathered.
"So, is this the end?" Bedivere asked. "Far from it," Mordred replied, "The real struggle starts after the coronation."
Mordred led the way, as I reached the terrace of the building.
Like something straight out of a portrait, people flocked together, every other sound was drowned by their chainting of my name which echoed in the entire place. Ki responded to their hopes and beliefs as it danced along with their chanting.
After that, two months passed by, we continued to pluck out the corrupt nobles or those who had been plotting against us and would backstab us. Sadly we couldn't find out every single one of them and some of them escaped and hid themselves somewhere.
One day, when the day was going by idly, a ruckus was raised in the place. Apparently, we had an unexpected visitor today, and it was none other than Nico. The guards wrestled with him, not letting him enter.
Waving my hand, I ordered them to release him. I was a bit interested in why he was here. The guards reluctantly let him go, as soon as he was released Nico ran towards me, panic evident in his expression.
But, a knife whistled through the air, cutting through Nico's back. Blood sprayed out, Nico staggered as he fell to the ground. The culprit came in like a flash and tried to leave.
But I took out my staff and launched a ki orb towards the intruder, incapacitating him.
Nico laid on the ground, his breathing turned shallower by each passing moment. My body stopped moving for a second, my breath hitched at the thought of him dying.
Seeing the situation that unfolded, Mordred quickly called for an ambulance to get Nico admitted. Apparently, it seems that there are some people amongst us that were working for the runaway nobles. It seemed like we needed to clear the inside before searching for the filth outside.
A deep interrogation was held in the castle, not just one, but numbers of people way more than our hand could count were found out to be working for the nobles. Maids, guards and even the head butler were all working for them, most of them were people who were threatened.
Yet, it baffled me as to how many moles were hidden right under our noses and we had no clue about them whatsoever.
And to top it all, Nico was abducted from the hospital by someone.
My eyes closed, my back rested on the cold seat of the throne. I felt a bit tired from all this. The other members of the Round Table excused themselves out.
Several thoughts revolved around my mind as I started to contemplate it all. When I first saw Nico trying to enter the castle, a thought of the three of us, me, Nico and Cecilia getting along like the usual time popped up.
But it seemed like fate didn't want it to happen.
Soon enough, a boom reverberated in the place, shaking the ground.
(***)
The Members of the Round table walked out of the doors of the hall, worried about their king, their leader whom they all respected and idolized.
However, as soon as they stepped out, someone stood in their way.
Pristine white sword gleaming in majesty, blond hair with almond shaped eyes that raged in fury. Her intentions to kill were as clear as day. And then, she stepped forward.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
KaiAsukawa
KaiAsukawa Anyone who says that I have taken inspiration from Fate for the names, go and read the Arthurian legends. Also, leave a vote if you liked the chapter! More reception means more motivation for me!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone