Roughly one hour after King Ulrich's rampage, Maria and Alicia carried both Ulrich and Leanna outside of the city gates to some tents they had managed to set up. Alicia used all of her holy magic removing Leanna's poison from her body. Ulrich had no external injuries, however, Alicia knew that her brother's internal injuries could be a problem if left untreated for too long. "Maria, you've received some training as a saint from Sister Therese, correct?" Alicia sat beside Ulrich's makeshift bed and hadn't moved since she finished healing Leanna. Maria let out a sigh before replying.
"I have received training for it, but I'm afraid that I have a very low aptitude for healing miracles. I apologize Princess, I blame myself for not being able to assist you in your time of need." Maria's voice began to waver and her fists became tightly clenched. "I couldn't even help my King when he needed me most. I'm a failure as a knight." Alicia finally stood up and walked over towards Maria, who had begun to shed tears at the situation they found themselves in. Maria's hands then felt a warm and loving feeling come over them. Alicia pulled her hands up and held them close to her heart. Maria looked up at the Princess and marveled at the warm and loving aura she was exuding. Of all the sisters and saints Maria knew, Princess Alicia seemed to be the most caring and loving individual out of all of them. All of Camelot adored the Princess and would often seek her guidance in domestic affairs. Despite only being 14 and having a weak constitution, she would go out of her way to visit and assist some of the less fortunate families in Camelot. The people referred to her as the Princess Sent From Heaven.
"Maria, I wish you wouldn't say such things. You're being too hard on yourself. My brother would scold you if he heard you saying such things. If anything, I should shoulder the blame for not being able to stop his rampage. I understand your heartache, but my brother had us in the rearguard because he didn't want us to be in danger. He entrusted my life to you and you succeeded in protecting me. You didn't fail and you didn't let him down. When he wakes up, I'm sure that he'll be very proud of you." Alicia could feel that the burden on her heart had begun to lift. Maria's eyes were still watery but her tears had stopped falling. No words could convey her current feelings, though Alicia had brought some peace to her heart, the one thing she couldn't let go of, was what she saw Ulrich become in those last moments before he collapsed. Her thoughts were beginning stray from what Alicia had said.
"Are my eyes playin' tricks on me..." a familiar voice called her back to the current moment. The two separated and both turned to where it came from. "or am I really seein' the mighty Maria actually cryin'?" To their surprise, Leanna was sitting up on her bed, smiling.
"Leanna! I'm so glad I was able to cure you in time!" Alicia quickly made her way to Leanna and proceeded to throw her arms around her beloved cousin. Maria quickly dried her eyes with her sleeve before scowling at Leanna.
"What you saw is irrelevant, what's important is finding out what you know about my King's condition." Though Maria tried to sound authoritative, there was still a sound of relief in her voice. Leanna's face was puzzled at Maria's statement until she turned her head and saw Ulrich laying in his bed, still passed out. Her eyes widened before she suddenly looked down. Alicia let go of her hug and stood up, a look of concern in her eyes. It was obvious from Leanna's reaction that she did know something about it, though to what extent was still unknown.
"Well, I can only tell ya' what happened up 'till I fainted. Though, the finer details will have to wait 'till cousin Ulrich wakes up. He'd be the one to have to tell ya' why he fainted." The two looked at each other and nodded in agreement. Maria and Alicia then replied in tandem.
"Alright, tell us your side of the story."
A soft voice called out from within the black void. It was gentle like a spring breeze passing through a field of flowers. "My beloved Ulrich, thou must awaken from thy slumber. Can thou hear my voice?" The voice seemed distant, yet, so close. Ulrich could see nothing but darkness. A strand of light then appeared in front of his eyes. Ulrich reached out and took hold of it. Soon, the pitch black void was gone, replaced with what appeared to be a pure white room. The sight only lasted for a moment, before changing into a vast grassland with flowers dotting the landscaping. In the distance, stood a girl with silver hair, a white silk dress, and porcelain like skin. She began to make her way to where he stood. The closer she became, the more he could make out her features. Her facial features were that of the fairy race, sharp, defined, and beautiful. Unlike the fairy race, her ears weren't pointed and her eyes were golden instead of silver. She stood at the same height as Leanna, a head shorter than Ulrich himself.
"Stop right there." Ulrich lifted his hand in the air to convey what he had just said. "Who are you and where am I?" The mysterious girl stopped a few feet away from him. She snickered at Ulrich and playfully brought her hands behind her back and began to gently rock from side to side with a playful smile on her face. Her childlike demeanor threw Ulrich off, yet, nothing about her made him feel on edge. Instead, he felt a strange familiarity with the person standing in front of him.
"Dost thou have no knowledge of the Garden of Avalon? I was under the impression that all Pendragon's were brought here at some point in thy young lives." The girl's face then became quizzical as she brought a hand to her chin. "Thou still carries Excalibur, so that must mean that thou must be speaking in jest." She then smiled before quickly running up to Ulrich and hugging him. "I have long awaited the day that thou would finally acknowledge me." Ulrich quickly grabbed her shoulders and gently pulled himself away from her grasp.
"Yes, I do know of the Garden. However, I was nowhere near the Garden when I fainted." Ulrich noticed her shoulders begin to slouch from disappointment. "I'm sorry, it's just that this is all a bit much. If you could just refresh my memory a bit, I'll have a better understanding of what's going on and I may even remember who you are. So, don't be upset. Alright?" The girl nodded before she began to speak.
"Very well, thy fainted after swinging the sword named Caladbolg. Thou used up all of thine magic with one swing. It was truly a spectacular display. I must inform thee, that thou is still in deep slumber. It is thy consciousness that resides in the Garden at present. As for I, well, I was under the impression that thou would know the name of the person that has accompanied thee since thy reign began." As she spoke, Ulrich tried to bring to mind the person that had her appearance. None came to mind, but he was even more concerned about the fact that she seemed to know him. He would surely remember someone who spoke with her specific dialect. He remembered the battle, but after he saw Aresh grab Leanna, he blacked out. The other thing that bothered him was that she said it was his consciousness in the Garden and not him physically.
"Alright, so if someone was on the island right now, they would be able to see us? People can see the unseen in the Garden of Avalon. It's properties are unique that way, so I can buy that. What is a bit odd, is that I would surely remember someone who spoke with your dialect if I met them in person. So, I'm guessing you've been around me but I actually haven't spoken to you face to face, correct?" The girl slowly nodded with a sad expression on her face. She began to make circles on the ground with her right foot.
"I haven't spoken to anybody for a long time. So I am afraid that the dialect I speak may be antiquated to thine ears. Dost thou have an issue with the way I speak?" She looked up at Ulrich with her sad expression. Ulrich shook his head, which caused the girls expression to light up once again. "Wonderful! Though, I am saddened that thou knows not my name." The girl then took a step back, before spinning in place. "The name I was given is Viviane." Her smile radiated a feeling of warmth and happiness.
"Alright Viviane, while I appreciate the effort, you don't need to try so hard to make me remember you. I'm sure it'll come back to me. Can you tell me why I'm here?" Ulrich spoke in a calm tone to try and make the atmosphere more manageable. Viviane's bright and cheery disposition rendered his efforts meaningless.
"Twas' I who brought thou hither. Thou awoke me from a deep slumber. In most cases, I would not normally be awakened, however, thou managed to unlock a special seal. With the seal broken, I was allowed to help thee by sharing my power. Thou must have lost some memory, perhaps that is why thou doesn't remember. Allow me to restore what thy lost." Viviane raised her hand slowly, before finally resting it on Ulrich's forehead. As soon as she made contact, an immense amount of memories began to flood through Ulrich's mind.
Leanna had recited all of what happened to Maria and Alicia up until Ulrich's injury at the hands of Aresh. "Ulrich had been duelin' Aresh for a bit and was clearly outmatched by the deity's strength and speed. Even though I was battlin' Claremont, I was still able to see that Ulrich was beginnin' to tire himself out. A slash from Aresh injured Ulrich's arm severely. Aresh then took a step back and began to taunt him. Ulrich stood still for a moment, I couldn't tell what he was thinking." Leanna then looked towards Ulrich's unconscious body. Maria and Alicia had been listening quietly the entire time, trying to process the fact that Ulrich was losing his duel and, also, that a god was his opponent.
"Wait, so you're saying that my brother was actually losing his fight before you lost sight of him?" Leanna nodded to confirm Alicia's question. She then began to remember a crucial detail that occurred during the time of his duel. "Caladbolg was acting erratic up until the moon began to rise into the sky. After that, it calmed down and even began to sooth my nerves a little. Could you notice anything that may have made that happen?" Maria seemed puzzled at Alicia's statement.
"You make it sound like your sword and Excalibur are linked somehow. I know you have a fragment of it in your sword, but does that really make it possible for you to know when Ulrich's magical energy is in trouble?" Before Alicia could answer, Leanna interrupted.
"It's not just the swords that are connected in such a way. You don't know this, since we've never faced life threatenin' danger that much, but the Pendragon bloodline has a special quality to it. We're able to discern the conditions of our family members when they're in danger." Leanna then remembered feeling distress coming from Alicia during her battle with Claremont.
"I never knew that. Is that how the three of you always seem to know where the other is at Camelot?" Maria's question was answered with a simple nod from Leanna and Alicia. Maria thought about the three family members, and marveled at how amazing the three seemed. The four of them were like a family themselves, always together, always looking out for each other, but Maria couldn't help but feel a bit distanced from them. Alicia noticed Maria's saddened expression and quickly laid her hand on her shoulder. Leanna noticed the situation and could tell that Maria was troubled by their conversation, so she decided to continue with her story.
"To answer your question cousin, yes, I did notice somethin' happen to Ulrich after his injury. It was strange, Ulrich's blue aura began to develop silver streaks inside of it. His blue eyes began to shine brightly, I thought I could see a silver tint in 'em." Alicia's eyes widened slowly as she remembered what she saw. Maria also began to remember his eyes when she saw him appear outside of the castle. "The last thing I remember seein', was some of the runes on Excalibur turn silver as well. Judgin' from your expressions, I reckon you saw the end result of those changes." The two looked at each other and decided to tell Leanna what they saw.
Ulrich fell to his knees, the memories giving him a migraine. "What was that? My power was much different from what it normally is." Viviane quickly kneeled down beside Ulrich and proceeded to place her hand gently atop his head. A golden light then then began to emit from her palm, soothing Ulrich's pain until it was gone. She then helped him to his feet.
"The power thy wielded was divinity. To be specific, the divinity thy possessed belonged to a moon goddess." Viviane explained in a enthusiastic voice, however, Ulrich was less than enthused, considering he had no clue why he had divinity.
"Where did you draw that conclusion from? I mean, if it was divinity, then it could have been from any divine being, correct?"
"Well, normally that would be correct. However, thy power increased when the moon arose. It would seem that thou has earned the affections of a moon goddess. The silver aura and thy silver eyes were key indicators of this." Viviane's expression then became pouty. She then began to mutter under her breath words that were incomprehensible. "Though I am loath to admit it, I must be thankful to this unknown goddess, because of that power, thy wounds were healed and a seal was broken on Excalibur. Allowing us to speak right now." Her cheery expression returned, along with a bright and lovely smile. Ulrich even seemed to be taken aback at Viviane's smile. Even though she was a bit too cheery for his tastes, there was no denying that he had some attraction to her beauty. He then noticed what she said.
"Wait, you said that a seal was broken in Excalibur. That's why we are able to speak? So, you're telling me that you're a spirit that resides inside of Excalibur itself?" Ulrich was baffled at the thought of a spirit residing in his sword. It would make sense with what she had been saying up until that point. It would also explain the strange familiarity he experienced with her. To his knowledge, Excalibur never housed a sword spirit. Only divine blades were capable of housing sword spirits. Ulrich thought to himself, was this the reason why no one but a Pendragon could wield Excalibur, because the sword spirit made it impossible for anyone else to wield her. Viviane smiled at Ulrich and nodded.
"Yes, finally, thou has guessed my origin. I am the Excalibur's spirit. I wasn't always housed inside of it. I was a fragment of a soul that was placed inside of it. The many wielders supplied my fragment until I became a full soul. Since coming into thy hands, my senses awakened and I have been long awaiting the day until I could meet thee. The care thou has shown me since coming into thy possession has left a profound impression on me." Viviane then ran and hugged Ulrich tightly. Ulrich's thoughts were a jumbled mess, all the information that he had been recieving was a lot to take in. Silver eyes, a sword spirit, a moon goddess's affection, and now it seemed like this sword spirit had taken a liking to him. Even the actions he took against Sastin were beginning to bother him. He wiped out a city and killed a god, there was no way that this would go unanswered for in the mortal world, as well as the heavens. He couldn't even feel much remorse for killing all of them. Normally, he would be overcome with conflicted feelings, but it seemed like they were being drawn elsewhere.
"Listen, I appreciate that you're happy about the situation, but I destroyed a city and killed a god. There's also the fact that some unknown goddess is keeping an eye on me and providing me with some unknown power. It's a lot to take in, yet, I don't seem to be bothered by the weight of the situation at all. Then there's you, you said you were a fragment of a soul placed in the sword, but the only ones that had access to this sword are my ancestors, meaning you must be the fragment of one of them, which makes me feel uncomfortable about you hanging all over me." Viviane then leaned back a bit and continued smiling. She slowly released Ulrich and stepped back a bit, before exchanging a ladylike bow.
"No need to fret about that Ulrich dear, for I am the fragment of the Lady of the Lake." Ulrich's eyes widened and his heart began to beat fast. He couldn't hide the suprised expression on his face and couldn't hide the fact that he was unable to move or speak. Viviane gave Ulrich a small smile before continuing. "The reason thy heart is unburdened, is because I have eased that burden for thee. Thou shouldn't feel remorse for killing evil beings, as for thy situation, thou needn't worry too much, for I shall be at thy side to aid thee in thy coming trials my beloved. For the two of us are now bound together by destiny, as for that pesky goddess. Thou mustn't worry, I shall make sure that thou never falls into the goddess's clutches, for thou belongs to thee." Viviane then exchanged another smile with Ulrich, however, Ulrich felt a slight chill come from her sweet visage. He couldn't even believe what he had just heard. The fact that the sweet and energetic girl that he had been speaking with was now acting possessive over him was enough to make him regret ever asking what her identity was.
"They may have been evil, but they were still human at one time. As for helping me, I appreciate that, however, saying that I belong to you is a bit to far. Lady of the Lake or not, I am not someone's property." Ulrich began to feel a bit nervous around Viviane. "Now, I'd like to know what's going on where I came from. I still have a kingdom to lead you know." Viviane casually walked up to Ulrich.
"Of course my dear. I apologize for being callous to thy fellow humans. As for the other thing.." Viviane then smiled at Ulrich with a sweet expression, however, Ulrich still felt uneasy. "thou may not be mine now, but one day, I hope that I will be able to change that. Our time together is coming to an end sadly, I shall await thy return, call on me, if ever thy shall need me." The air then began to feel heavy and Ulrich began to feel light headed. His vision slowly began to darken, the last thing he saw was Viviane approach him. He could feel a soft sensation on his right cheek, he felt a sense of warmth come from it before finally blacking out completely. Viviane then stood alone in the Garden of Avalon. "It seems I am beginning to understand more of my beloved's dialect. I should practice so that I may suprise him when next we meet." She let out a small giggle before happily skipping away.
Alicia began to explain to Leanna, what they saw when Ulrich appeared before them. "The man you called Aresh, was blasted outside of the castle and hit the barrier that I had set up to prevent anyone from interfering with you two. Then big brother walked through the entrance. The immense pressure and killing intent of his aura froze everyone in place. I couldn't even move or speak. His aura was half blue, half silver, and was generating electricity or lightning, it's hard to say. His eyes were completely silver and he was using his cursed Excalibur form. It transforms into a black katana, much like yours Leanna, however, the runes on Excalibur were all silver. Normally, they're blue, but it seemed like he had another power inside of him that was transforming him." Alicia had a pained expression on her face, her heart was full of sadness at the thought of her brother in such a state. Maria decided to continue for her.
"His power was increased exponentially, he broke through the Princess's shield rune that was powered by Caladbolg's magic energy. I was able to move somewhat, and was able to see the rest of the citizens frozen in fear. Some of them died just from being in his vicinity. He noticed our wounds and the pressure increased even more. He cut off the head of Aresh and proceeded to ready Caladbolg, the Princess tried to use her shadow to bind him, but he just shrugged it off and massacred all of them. The city is in ruins and we haven't found any survivors. I'm not sure how my King will be able to explain this to the council." The three looked dejected, Leanna thought about what Claremont had said, they were all just puppets. They had an excuse. However, the bigger issue was the fact that Ulrich had such terrifying power. He singlehandedly destroyed the city. Leanna has to come up with a plan and take charge. While Alicia was the Princess, Leanna was, by far, the most capable of coming up with a solution.
"I think we should head back to Camelot as quick as we can. When Ulrich wakes up, I say we let him recuperate for awhile, then we need to head back. The longer we stick around, the more trouble we invite for ourselves. All of this is a lot to take in, but I think we'll be able to discuss it further when we return to Camelot. We can question him when we get home. It'll be safer that way. People are bound to show up soon and they'll see that we are the cause of this. As for him, well, he killed a god. I'm sure that the heavens will have taken notice. They'll try to find out who did it as soon as they can. So, I want you two to start packin' up our gear and ready the horses. Understood?" Maria and Alicia nodded in agreement.
"I think that's for the best little Leanna." a weak and haggard voice limped through the air. The three looked back and saw Ulrich, still laying in his bed with his eyes open and a weak smile on his face. The three girls quickly made their way to his side and each hugged him together. Though it was hard for him to breathe, Ulrich didn't care, he was just happy to see that the three of them were safe and uninjured. Alicia then began to cry, as she hugged Ulrich tighter. Ulrich responded by putting his hand on the top of her head, something he did everytime she cried, since they were little. "It's alright sis, I'm sure that I gave you quite a scare." As the words reached her ears, the saintly persona she displayed in front of Maria and Leanna melted away, as she began to sob and wail into Ulrich's chest. Maria and Leanna began to tear up as well, but decided to stand and leave the makeshift tent. Maria remembered how Alicia was acting beforehand, but knew that Alicia had to be tough because her brother wasn't awake. All of her fear and sadness was released in that moment upon seeing her brother.
"Stupid brother! How could you leave me alone like that? I was afraid my brother would be gone for good." Alicia's words were fragmented as she tried to speak through her wails and tears. Happiness and sadness all overcame her. The smile she saw on his face was enough to tell her that her kind and loving brother was back. The cold and ruthless person she saw before was no longer present. That fact alone was enough for her to rejoice and thank the heavens. "Please, don't turn into that person again. I want you to be the brother that I grew up with. It broke my heart knowing I couldn't do anything to help you." Ulrich closed his eyes, he could feel them begin to water up upon hearing his sister's words.
"I'm sorry Rose, I'm sure that it had to be quite a scare for you. Honestly, it scared me too. As long as I am able to, I promise that I won't lose control of myself like that again." Alicia lifted her head up to look at her brother, he simply smiled at her and wiped away her tears. "I won't leave you alone again. I promised mom that I'd take care of you, and I intend to do so. You're too young to be having your heart broken anyways." Alicia smiled and let out a small laugh at Ulrich's words. She could remember each time that Ulrich was there to dry her tears and make her feel better. They all seemed like distant memories after what had just transpired, but she treasured those memories nonetheless.
"I'm sorry brother, but can I stay like this for just a little longer?" Alicia sniffled as she spoke. To her, she didn't know if Ulrich would ever wake up again. The relief that he was alive and seemingly unharmed, was such a joy, that she wanted to savor all of it as long as she could. What Leanna said about the heavens finding out about Aresh, how she knew the other cities and countries would react to the destruction of Sastin, and the death of a demigod all went through her mind. However, it was all put to ease when she decided that she didn't care about any of that. "Let them come for us." she whispered softly. As long as her brother was alive, she knew that he would battle heaven and hell to keep her safe. If it ever came to that, Alicia decided that she would stand beside him and fight it with him. No one made her feel safer than her brother, and there was no one she loved more than her brother.
"Of course, little Rose. You can stay as long as you like." Ulrich remembered how Alicia would often do this when she was little and frightened. He knew that she was frightened by what happened, simply by this reaction. He, himself, was frightened, so her being there brought him a feeling of comfort. Everything he learned about what happened, and about Excalibur ran through his mind. The Lady of the Lake, Viviane, was definitely a strange character, however, with her there, he felt that he had a chance to fight the coming wars. He knew that the peace that his kingdom had been enjoying would soon come to an end. Armies of men would come, demons were emerging, and now the heavens will begin to move against him. Camelot will be facing a war unlike any it has ever seen. "I must get stronger." he whispered to himself. The age of peace is now ending. The war of the three realms will be starting soon. Ulrich looked down at his sister's face, her eyes were closed and she had fallen asleep. For her, he will topple the heavens, tear down the walls of hell, and be the scourge of humanity, if he must. A promise made must be kept.