Alfred huffs as he wipes sweat from his brow, feeling the weight of his sword at his side as he follows his twin across the sand to the weird pyramid from before.
He's got a lot to think about.
Not too long ago, he didn't think he was anything special, just another knight in training.
Now.
Now...
This power of his, his true inheritance from his father, his birthright.
And here he'd been bummed that all his Dad had left him was his sword.
But now, he knows one thing for sure. He has to own this power.
Master it.
The journal says he should start with mastering his Communication and Command skills. Both would certainly be useful, especially this Command skill, since Arthur is often so aggressive with new people, it would really help if he could have a way to stop him before he attacked someone. But how?
He looks over at Arthur as they walk.
The wolf is once again panting heavily from the heat, mouth open and tongue hanging out. Like this, he really does look like a big dog.
Still, Alfred wonders about that warning, Wilding. He's not sure, but he thinks that whatever happened to Arthur back at the Capital has something to do with that. The look in his eyes... The Arthur he knows was nowhere to be seen...
But the book also said he can talk to Arthur with his mind, like he does with him.
And at the Capital, he did use his mind to call out to him, to bring him back. So, maybe he can do it again?
He just has to remember how...
Back then, he was so full of adrenaline and pain and fear, it just sort of... happened... And he hasn't really had a chance to try again since.
What did the book say again? Speak with his Will?
Right, Will.
So how does he do that?
Think, think...
Suddenly, he remembers Arthur's teachings about using magic, 'Do not think how, only concentrate on what you want it to do.'
Instinctual magic, that's what Arthur calls it...
Maybe he doesn't have to think about this at all. He just has to do. It can't hurt to try right?
'Hey Artie?'
No, that wasn't right.
He frowns, trying to put more weight behind his words, 'H- Hey, Ar- Art- Artie?' He struggles, trying to get it right, but eventually manages to sound out his question.
Surprised by the voice, Arthur's ears prick and he turns to look at Alfred.
'Al? How are you...'
'Ha! It w- works!'
'It what?' Arthur asks, tilting his head in confusion as Alfred suddenly cuts off.
'No, no, hang on. How was it? Okay, I've got it! Yes! Artie I can talk with my mind!'
Al grins happily up at the wolf while Arthur looks back perplexed.
'Yes, but, how..?'
'I just can. It's part of my gift.' Al laughs —making Matt turn and give his twin a confuse look, asking why he suddenly started laughing out of the blue— pleased that he can at least do this with out months of training.
Maybe mastering this gift of his won't be so hard after all.
Arthur, however seems less pleased by this, as he whines, 'Oh great. Now I'll never be free of your endless prattle.'
"Hey!" Al cries, making Matthew even more confused as he leads them inside.
They follow the same route as before, up to the room which Al now knows is Elizabeta's command centre.
At the door, Matt knocks twice, then pushes it open.
"Matthew?" Liz asks, looking up curiously from the table with maps as they walk in.
Al is surprised to see Gil is there too. From the looks of things, they seem to be in the middle of forming some sort of battle strategy, going by the markers on the maps.
"Sorry for the interruption, but Al wanted to see you." He apologises, stepping aside to let his brother and wolf into the room.
Upon seeing Gilbert, Arthur drops his ears and gives a warning growl, but stops when Al pats his side, 'Leave him be Art, now's not the time. We can kick his teeth in later.'
"Well? What is it? We're quite busy here." Liz snaps impatiently, clearly not in a good mood.
"I've had a lot to think about," Al starts, "I still do. But... I've come to a decision." He announces, walking up to the woman and drawing his sword.
"Kid..." Gil warns slowly, moving to round the table.
"I'm done with being lied to. I'm a knight, sworn to live and die by the sword. Sworn to protect. No one should feel the need to protect me but me. My old allegiance is a lie, but a knight is nothing with out a cause to fight for." He states firmly, looking Elizabeta in the eye, before kneeling, bowing his head, "You may not be a Queen, but you have a noble cause, a just cause worth fighting for. So I pledge my sword to you, Elizabeta, Demoness of the Four Sands." He holds out his sword to her, "I will fight by your side, with all my strength, to kill King Momarîs and bring down the Order of Noceum, this I swear."
...
Silence follows his declaration, but this time he expects the laugh that comes from the woman. Deep and hearty, she grins wildly as she snatches up Alfred's blade.
"My, you really like to do things properly, don't you? Very well then," she twist the sword with her wrist, "Then let's do this right. As Mistress of Daská, I Now knight you, Alfred Feral Jones the third, Knight of Truth." She's beaming as she taps him on the shoulders with the side of his blade, "Now arise, my noble knight."
Standing, Liz gives him a slight nod as she hands him back his sword, a moment of reverence filling the room.
The moment is ruined, however, by slow clapping from the doorway.
"Bravo."
They all turn to look, seeing Sadık leaning against the door, continuing to clap condescendingly as he smirks lazily at the group.
"Such a performance," he laughs, pushing off the door and stepping into the room, "So this is it then? The gangs all here huh? The ones to change the land. Ha!" His laugh is sharp like a knife edge as he looks the group over, "Your all what he's so afraid off? What? A halfbreed, a blinded Seer, a bookworm, an idiot with a sword and a pack-less wolf?" He sneers, "What a joke."
"Sadık," Liz sneers right back, "How kind of you to join us."
"What the hell Sadık, we had a deal!" Gilbert shouts, stepping closer to the masked man.
'Al what's going on?' Arthur asks hurriedly, defensively standing at Al's side.
'I don't know.I thought Sadıkwas my friend, but they don't seem pleased with him.'
"Hardly." The man drawls, smirking again, "Though, it was fun playing with all of you. It's a shame, to destroy something as beautiful as you, devil girl, but," he shrugs, smirk turning dangerous, "Orders must."
In the blink of an eye, he's charging at Elizabeta, but she doesn't even flinch.
"Carriedo!" She shouts.
Hand reaching out to her face, Sadık is halted mere inches away by a sudden barrier of weaving fire surrounding him.
"You called Mistress?" Antonio asks, suddenly appearing in the doorway as if he'd been there the whole time, a frown set deep in his usually cheery face, battle axe resting on his shoulder.
"Ah," Sadık sighs, lowering his hand but still smirking, "Fire netting? I see you've found yourselves a powerful pawn." He drawls, looking back at Antonio.
Laughing again, his smirk turns sharp, "But you'll have to do better than that to catch me."
Seemingly without doing anything, the fire surrounding him is blasted outwards, and in an instant he's behind Antonio, holding a dagger to his neck.
"Sorry, but you'd have to train for another decade before you'd even have a chance at besting me!" He shouts, mercilessly dragging the blade across the brunettes neck, slicing it open before anyone can react.
Sadık laughs as Antonio's body drops with a heavy thump, blood pooling around his motionless form.
His cackling stops just as suddenly as it started, looking dangerously at the stunned group.
Finally snapping out of it, Al reaches for his sword, but is too slow.
Just as quickly, the masked man gets behind him, cutting him down just the same. As he lies bleeding out, he blearily sees both Arthur and Gil make to attack, but even them, the two strongest people he knows, are no match.
He's then forced to watch as his brother, with no fighting experience is slain before his eyes.
"Haaa..." Sadık breathes, hands soaked in their blood as he turns on the only one remaining, Elizabeta, "Now, where was I?"
"Does this please you?" She asks coldly, not looking at the bodies of her fallen comrades, "To kill so senselessly? To take the lives of my men, to snuff them out like they were nothing?"
"Of course!" He cackles in delight, showing his oddly sharp teeth as he grins madly, "I live for the kill, it's what I was made for. You should understand devil girl, you and I are the same!"
From his position, Alfred can't see his face as Sadık removes his mask, revealing his true self to Liz.
"Your right, I do understand." She agrees, much to Al's shock, "We are the same, so I know the urge well."
"Then why fight it! Come on girl, join us!" He cries madly, grabbing her shoulders, "Or die!"
"And who, exactly is us?" She asks, eyes narrowing.
"Who else? The Order!"
"As I thought." She scrawls, shoving his hands off her, "No."
"AaaAaH! Idiot!" Sadık snaps, waves of heat rolling off him.
"Hardly. Now come on. I choose death, so get it over with."
"Rrrggh! Fine!" He raises his hand to her face, but stops when she asks one last question.
"But first, tell me. Who do you work for, so that I may curse their name for all eternity in the World Beyond."
The insane grin he gives is enough to even send shivers down Elizabeta's spine.
"He who sees all and knows all. The true God of this world, Lord Emperor of Qonia!"
With that crazed decree, he grabs her face and raises his skin temperature so high even Alfred feels like he's burning, his nose stinging with the smell of chard flesh.
"Hahah! AhAhaAHahAAHAHAHA!" His manic laughter is the last thing Al hears as he watches Liz drop and he blacks out.
...
...
...
...
Alfred blinks, looking around.
He's alive, they all are.
He's still standing in the exact same spot as before...
And Sadık is laughing like a manic in the cage of fire...
"Haaa, Alright Gil, that's enough. We won't get anything more out of him."
Still dazed and confused, it takes a moment for Alfred to notice the glow of Gilbert's eyes as Sadık suddenly drops to the ground in the cage, falling silently.
"Wha-what... just happened?"
Arthur huffs, glaring at Gilbert, 'Illusionary magic.'
"Illusions?"
"Sorry for not filling you in kid, but we didn't know if you were going to agree of not."
"You just has some bad timing." Matt adds, smiling at him.
"I'm confused..."
"We knew he'd be coming to kill me, so we planned a trap for him." Liz sighs, glaring down at the still masked man, "We had to get as much information as we could out of him, without him suspecting anything and giving us false info."
"We would have told you, but," Antonio shrugs, "On the plus side, your reaction was very convincing. It's nice to know that you'd try to avenge me, even if it was a stupid idea." He grins cheerily.
"Uh..."
"Welcome to the war kid." Gil grins, coming over to pat him on the shoulder, "And trust me, this is the least fucked up shit you'll see."
Liz grins too, as Antonio alters the fire to bind to Sadık's body and she picks him up, effortlessly slinging the masked man over her shoulder, "Congratulations, you just passed your induction."
...
'Arthur?'
'Yes?'
'...What the hell have I just gotten us into?'
Authors notes: Mwhahaha... oh Alfred you have no idea...
The young knight's search of the truth of everything begins, but is he prepared for what answers he may yet find?
But yes, Gilbert may not have his gift anymore, but make no mistake, he is still plenty powerful, this is just a taste of what he can do.
Ah Sadık, why are you so fun to write? Okay, I'm taking guesses, who do you think is the leader he's talking about? It's one of our lovable nations, because someone has to play the villain, but who?
R & R people.
Until next time, stay awesome!