"Stop fidgeting." I huffed, my hand engulfed in a golden light as I healed Arthur's shoulder.
Mordred stood nearby, crossing her arms and continued to glare at him. It wasn't so much hostile, but it was obvious she still looked down on him. "What a fucking disappointment. Maybe you should be called Tristian, you have that same 'woe is me' fucking annoying look about you." She snorted is disdain, finally turning away to fetch Caliburn. "Boohoo, I fucked up and have to shoulder the consequences." She threw her hands up.
I felt Arthur stiffen in my grasp, but his expression didn't change.
I paid attention as Mordred easily pulled Caliburn from the ground. I didn't know the exact mechanisms of this Caliburn, but I did know it had a similar function to not allow anyone 'unworthy' to wield it. Like most powerful weapons here, it had to 'accept' its wielder.
"Didn't even have the decency to fucking try either." Mordred continued in annoyance. "Your footwork was a complete mess! Did no one teach you not to stay flat footed!? I could have skewered you a dozen times while you just stood there with a stupid look on your face."
"Mordred." Artoria gently called her name.
"Yeah, yeah." Mordred calmed down at her call. "Little shit needs to get his head pulled out his ass or he's just going to continue being useless."
Well, leave it to Mordred to not hold her words back. I don't think any of us would say he wasn't talented, but he really didn't look like he put 100% effort into his little….spar.
"Arthur." Artoria turned to him. He perked up a little bit at her gaze. "I wish to know more about the Pendragon family."
He opened his mouth then closed it again before letting out a sigh. "What do you want to know?"
Mordred also listened intently, her attention right on the man who took her father's name.
"Explain the structure of your family. How it came to exist, and what powers it holds." Artoria said simply.
Arthur rubbed his eyes, shaking off the dirt from his body. "We trace our origins back to King Arthur…..as specified by our namesake. I admit to not delving too deep in our archives, but it's what I've been told since I was born. And no one I've met seems to dispute this fact."
"You do not know from whom you have descended?" Artoria questioned. "Did...King Arthur not have many cousins? How can you be sure you came from him and not….his sister?"
Arthur shrugged. "At this point, I don't think anyone cares. The name seemed more important than the honor that should have come with it."
Artoria took a deep breath. "Continue."
"We aren't that different than the noble families in this country….." He looked lost for a moment before continuing. "We've survived by producing some powerful warriors and magicians over the centuries. And we've made sure to keep ties with certain organizations like the Church."
The Great clans….that's a pretty good comparison. I vaguely knew of them as well, five great clans that controlled a good portion of this countries' supernatural communities on the human side. They had a….strained relationship with the Youkai.
"Yeah, and having a bunch of powerful weapons doesn't hurt either." Mordred added.
"You speak the truth." Arthur didn't deny. "We have many armaments that have been gathered over the years."
"We'll get to that in a moment. Please continue explaining the family to me." Artoria ushered him back on.
"There is not much to say about the family itself….it became tradition to name ourselves after our ancestors." He shook his head. "I was named Arthur Pendragon when I was born, and my father, took up the name of 'Uther' at that time."
"So they just call the first born 'Arthur Pendragon'?" Mordred asked incredulously. "That's fucking stupid. What if twins are born? What if only a girl is born? What if multiple children are born? Are they just tossed to the side as unimportant?"
"Mordred raises a good point. What of the other children of the family. I am sure that you are not the only one of the recent generations to exist."
"No, there are several hundred people in our family." He shook his head. "And if someone proves to be more talented, they can claim the name and take the position as head of family in time. I've fought off many attempts to claim it form me over the years."
"How ruthless." Artoria muttered. "They created a system that no longer fosters new generations but pits them against each other to create the strongest. There would be no bonds formed, only the lobbying for more power and authority."
"I could only trust two people in the family." Arthur smiled bitterly.
"Yes, you mentioned your lover and your sister." Artoria sighed, rubbed the bridge of her nose. "This sounds like a large mess to deal with."
"What're their forces like? Allies, or other people that would help them?" Mordred asked.
"They have a tentative alliance with the Church, though they often but heads. They have good relations with the Golden Dawn. My father had my sister – Le Fay go over to them for her magical studies when she revealed her talent to better foster relations." Arthur explained.
"Le Fay?"
"Yes, my sister was given that name when her abilities in Magic were revealed." Arthur nodded. "She was barely a year old and started being able to push and pull the magic in the air subconsciously. At least, that is what I've been told."
Huh, impressive.
"What is this, Golden Dawn?" Artoria asked.
"Its….a Magician association." Arthur rubbed his head. "Apologies, I don't know much about them as I never had a talent or inclination to learn more than basic spells."
"I know a thing or two." I spoke up, drawing their attention. "So, the Golden Dawn is a Magicians association – obviously. They're one of the most powerful in the world, which is strange since they're relatively new. Though, based on what Arthur said, I'm guessing your family helped prop them up in their formative years?"
"Yes, we have close ties with them." He nodded again.
"I can't say anything about the numbers they could gather on a whim, but they are fairly popular and probably have ties all over the world." I tapped my chin in thought. "They primarily use the 'Modern Magic' passed on by Merlin."
"Modern Magic? Please explain the meaning." Artoria asked. "I wish to understand the nuance."
"Alright, so Devils." I flicked my hand to produce a Magic Circle. "They have something called 'Demonic Power' that behaves very similarly to Magical Energy but is also a bit different. Devil Magic basically uses Imagination instead of more traditional methods of spellcasting, and Demonic Energy to actualize everything. If a devil wants to create a fireball, they merely have to imagine it and their Demonic Power shapes everything in a way to make it happen."
Artoria tilt her head. "How come you do not do such a thing?"
"Haah." I slumped my shoulders. "I have a pitiful amount of Demonic Power, enough that I couldn't even be detected as a Half-Devil when I was younger. I basically just use it to ease together the multiple schools of Magic I often use to form a coherent whole. If you want to be pedantic about it, I more or less use it as a lubricant so all the 'moving parts' of my other magics work seamlessly."
"And how does this fit into what is known as 'Modern Magic'?" Artoria continued to question.
"Well, I'm getting to that. It requires a little bit of backstory. So, Devils were created by Lilith and Lucifer through some means, it's not that important. But what is important, is that the little 'spark' of creation from being something created originally from Big G's hands, Lucfier had certain concepts of creation inside him that were passed on in the process. Add in the 'corruption' of the process to make 'Evil Creatures' and you have Demonic Power that basically 'creates' the magic that devils desire. Now, it isn't some omnipotent and almighty thing, otherwise Devils would have long overthrown the current stability of the world."
"I believe I understand now. This Demonic Power shapes the desires and imagination of the wielder, thus removing a need for more studious thoughts regarding applications. They will it to happen, and their Demonic Power is drained to facilitate the action."
"Bingo." I smiled. "So that leads us back to Modern Magic. Merlin –" I paused briefly to let the name sink in for them. "Created 'Modern Magic' that most humans use, and based it off Devil 'Magic'. Instead of using the 'creation' concepts intertwined with their heritage, it instead makes use of calculations to bring about the same phenomenon on a more….natural level as opposed to forcing certain things into existence."
It was a long winded explanation, but something they should probably know about for the future. And this was about the extent of my knowledge on the subject as well. Jinn probably knew more at this point if her habits on gathering information were anything to go by.
Artoria nodded along in understanding. "I see, thank you for explaining it to me." She pondered my words for a few moments. "The Church, the Golden Dawn...are there any more allies of significance?"
"Not that I am aware of. I wouldn't be surprised if they had hands in a few more places, but I was not privy to the details before I left." Arthur shook his head.
"And what about powerful armaments. What would be expected should someone siege them?" She furrowed her brow.
"Originally, they possessed Excalibur Ruler..." Arthur sighed and I saw Mordred visibly scowl at the mention. I suppose Artoria told her about them. "Caliburn was their strongest weapon, and I took it with me when I left. Besides those two, they have Galatine which my father wields. They have both of King Ban's weapons – "
"That's the adulterer's father, right?" Mordred interjected.
"Yes, that was Lancelot's father. King Ban of Benwick was an early ally of….King Arthur. I believe there were two swords, Courechouse and Coreiseuse. A holy and a demonic sword of admirable quality." Artoria stared off with a nostalgic look on her face.
"I remember that old bastard. Hard to believe the Adulterer was related to him." Mordred snorted. "What other weapons, squire?"
"Squire?" Arthur blinked.
"What else do you call someone training to be a proper knight?" Mordred scoffed.
Arthur just sighed again. "Red hilt, the sword of – "
"Sir Balin." Artoria let out a long sigh. "That sword is nothing but trouble and should be destroyed. The Machinations and schemes of Fae set about upon men for perceived slights. A cursed sword masquerading as a holy weapon."
"Sounds like a story. I only vaguely remember him from the stories." I commented.
"It is a tragic tale full of scheming by inhuman minds." Artoria rubbed the bridge of her nose again. "Continue, please." She gestured towards Arthur who just looked at her in confusion.
At this point, Artoria had slipped up and spoken of things with too much familiarity. I'm sure Arthur was utterly confused even ignoring Mordred's own proclamations.
"Gareth's Ring, Failnaught...apologies, those are the only ones I can remember off the top of my head. There are other weapons not from that particular period that they've also gained. And there are also many that we had lost or taken by others. Arondight, for example, is in the hands of the church. And we once had Galahad's sword – rather the Sword of David, before it was taken by the church as well."
"Any fine weapon such as those in a skilled knight's hands is something to be wary of." Artoria spoke. While I don't think they were particularly threatening to us….I suppose her mindset was one that considers all variables.
"Really, that's it?" Mordred looked at him. "I remember the vaults having hundreds of powerful and magical weapons. These idiots call themselves 'Pendragon', yet they don't even have a fraction of that!?"
Arthur just looked embarrassed at the accusation. "Well, there was a very durable sword I remember using as practice when I was younger. But it doesn't really have a famous name. Otherwise, I don't recall anything specific, though I am positive they have more than what I know of."
"Well woopty fucking doo." Mordred scowled. "Please tell me we're going to kick their asses. I really want to vent right now."
I shrugged. "That's up to Artoria and how she wants to handle things." I turned to Arthur. "You should be in contact with your sister, right?"
"Yes, I have sent her a message that I am safe and not to worry." Arthur confirmed.
"Hmm that's probably for the best." I pursed my lips. "Though, I don't know if Yasaka would be upset if she visited….." He has been doing a decent job from what Yasaka's said. A reward wasn't something out of reach, but I wouldn't step on her toes in any way.
"I don't wish her to see me like this." Arthur sighed. "She's always looked up to me, I'd rather not shatter that image and hurt her."
"Fucking coward." Mordred spat out, earning a surprised look from Arthur. "What, you wanna protect your 'honor' your 'pride'? You fucking lost any of those when you were involved in kidnapping children. And now you're just pushing away the only family you have, someone that actually cares about you?" Mordred looked actually upset.
And truth coming from Mordred. She cared in her own way as well. The fact that he was descended from this world's Arthur, I think Mordred also felt a sense of responsibility.
"Going to be more fucking work than I thought." Mordred grumbled in annoyance.
"Pardon." Artoria interrupted. "Can you please go back to that sword you mentioned?" Artoria interjected, with a strange look on her face.
Arthur blinked in confusion. "Which one?"
"The one you mentioned you wielded as a youth….I merely wish to verify. This sword you spoke of, was it shorter than the standard sword, barely more than a dagger, but weighing several times more with being exceedingly durable?"
Arthur tilt his head. "Yes, how did you – "
"And does it possess an amateurish engraving on the flat of it?"
"It does, Welsh, Cleddyf Bach. I think it means – "
"Little Sword." Artoria finished.
"Artoria?" I questioned.
She bit her lip, a look of sadness visible in her eyes. "When...King Arthur was but a small child, he wished to finally wield a true sword as he was only allowed wooden ones at the time. He begged Sir Ector many moons for the opportunity, but was denied each time. When his name day approached, he tried once more, he asked Sir Ector, told him that even a 'little sword' would do. It was a gift, with the help of Merlin, and Sir Ector carved that engraving himself."
Oh Artoria.
Even with all the differences between worlds, there was bound to be similarities. The names of the weapons passed around are enough evidence of this.
Artoria closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Thank you for your information, Arthur." She said evenly. "I will take into consideration what you have said and decide on our course of action."
To decide if we go have a talk with the Pendragon Family or not. Well, it was shaping up to be a whole mess, but I didn't think that would deter Artoria if she got the notion in her head.
"What are you sitting there with that stupid look for!" Mordred kicked him. "Go get another sword you idiot, we're nowhere near done yet!" She snorted, making Arthur quickly get to his feet to seek out a new weapon.
Mordred glanced over to Artoria who still looked a bit lost. And I think this was her own way of supporting her, as she didn't want Artoria to be seen like this by Arthur.
Once Arthur was out of earshot, Mordred spoke again. "Father….I'll take care of this dumbass." She said quietly.
Artoria smiled warmly at her son. "Thank you, Mordred. I will leave him in your capable hands."
She glanced at me and I took that as a cue to follow. She silently reached out and grabbed my hand as we got close.
"You okay?" I asked as we left the courtyard.
"I am well. I was just taken by surprise, a memory I had not thought about in a long time coming to the surface." She smiled bitterly, shaking her head. "I still have no clue what I should do regarding this….Pendragon Family." She sighed.
"You're not obligated to do anything. This isn't your world, Artoria." I pointed out.
"I am aware." She sighed. "But I wish to do something. Even if it's not truly related to me – it's a legacy my counterpart left on. I don't wish to see it so…..perverted. I have no desire to rush into matters, I will consider my actions wisely before coming to a decision."
"Whatever you choose, we'll all be right here with you." I squeezed her hand.
"Yes." She smiled brightly.
"Well, wanna go see Scáthach beat up Yasaka's guards?" I offered.
Artoria let out a laugh at that. "I would like that very much."
***
Sorry for no chapter yesterday, there really isn't a good way to tell everyone on this sight when i'm not posted outside of a 'fake chapter' and those just feel worse than no chapter at all imo. So, i had a friend who was moving and the moving company canceled on him last minute, so I was one of several who rushed over to help him.
Anyways, if you want to read 7 chapters ahead, visit my pat.reon.com/astoryforone
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