I lean on the balcony overlooking Camelot.
"Our wayward son should be returning soon."
I look at my wife, Guinevere, next to me as she speaks.
"Yes, he said he'll be bringing company as well. Maybe the stubborn bastard finally made a friend. If he did it's most likely that common girl, Maya, I think her name was."
"What makes you say that."
"Haven't you seen the way he turns his nose up in disgust at the nobles. I asked him why he did it once and he simply said, 'people who are just riding their ancestors coat tails aren't worthy of my respect.'"
Guinevere sighs.
"He's a strange one, I can never tell what's going on inside that head of his."
"It's stranger than that, I can't even read his stats when I appraise him, though naturally he can't read mine either. I do have a skill which changes my status. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he's already stronger than me."
"Please, no ones stronger than you. It's because of you that all this..."
She gestures towards Camelot and the surrounding country of Britannia.
"...Is so peaceful."
"Yes, but at what cost. How many innocent people gave their life so we can have peace. How much blood was spilled, how many nations destroyed. Remember Francais."
That's right. How many Nameless heroes died for the sake of what we have now.
"That's why we have national mourning on the 11th of November, and the soldiers March through every city and town, all before a two minute silence at 11pm. All so that we will remember them."
I haven't told her yet, but that peace isn't going to last much longer. It's a feeling I can't explain, but I know it won't last forever.
Very soon I'll die, and when I do it's up to you to bring back peace, Amon, my wayward son. When that time comes what this world will need isn't a hero. No what this world will need, is a monster.
"Mother, Father, is Brother almost here yet?"
My second child, Alice, brings me out of my thoughts.
"He said he'll be back in his own time. Either way he has someone he needs to meet when he gets back, and there's the tournament he'll be participating in."
"Right, Brother will win that tournament easily."
That bracelet catches the sun and shines directly in my eye. I remember Amon giving it to her, but I don't remember him ever buying it.
All I know is Alice never takes it off.
(POV change)
"Hey, Maya, You're back!"
Some kid about my age burst through the doors in excitement.
He's ginger with green eyes and a relatively small frame.
"Hello, Callum, as you can see I'm back."
I can see the boy's face flush.
He likes Maya, however he's not someone I need to worry about.
He immediately rushes to try and hug her only to be left at arm's length.
I don't even need to read his mind to sense his confusion.
"Maya, why did you push me away?"
"Callum, I'd like you to introduce you to Amon Britannia. He's my lover."
She said all this with a smile. She either knows how he feels and doesn't care, or she's just blissfully unaware.
He turned his eyes to me, noticing me for the first time.
If he doesn't calm his killing intent I might be convinced to remove his existence.
"You mean you're taking some stuck up royal bastard over your childhood friend!"
"I can execute you right here just for saying that you know. And given how much bloodlust I feel coming off of you, I just might."
"Hah, please like I'll lose to some royal. I have stats over 50 you know."
He stands there looking smug.
Why's he proud of that?
Maya just stands there looking awkward, probably because she knows my stats before I spent a week(year) training.
I stand up and wrap an arm around Maya who blushes and puts a hand on my chest as I pull her close.
"I don't care what your stats are. Maya's mine, you can either accept that and move on, or you can keep going the way you're going and die."
"Shut up! We promised each other when we were kids that we'd grow up and get married."
"Callum, that was more of us being kids than anything else. I don't feel that way about you. This is the man I love, I promise you I won't let you die, but I won't accept your feelings either."
I can see the tears forming in Callum's eyes.
I can't blame him for crying, rejection does hurt worse than any physical injury. Well maybe not any physical injury, I'm sure separating the atoms in a human body would be more painful.
"Hey, so now that he's gone we have a few hours before your parents get back."
"I hear what your saying and to that I say right this way."