The sun was high, but no light shone on Camelot Castle. A dark, suffocating miasma shrouded the kingdom as hundreds of Knights of the Underworld marched upon it, a swath of dead earth tracing their path back over the horizon. Gawain and Percival watched them come from the castle wall, hands clamped tightly around their weapons.
"It seems their numbers can only grow," Percival said. "Each of us will have to do the work of ten warriors."
"At least," Gawain agreed. "I'm sure we could handle these pawns with ease, but with those two on their side…"
They both turned as they heard a door open. King Arthur, clad in gleaming silver armor, stepped out to join them, a big grin on his face. "Hey, why so glum? You two look like we've already lost."
Percival looked back at the approaching horde. "It's a reasonable outcome. We've fought hard against them time and again, but we've barely even slowed their advance."
The king came up to the edge. "True...it's now or never. So we'd better make it now."
"Such a simple assessment," came a voice from his side. "Have you learned nothing in all this time, knave?"
Arthur drew his sword, Caliburn. "Of course I have! But I'm not about to give up, even at a time like this."
Gawain clenched his teeth. "Verily. I refuse to die until I've resolved matters once and for all. No matter the foe, no matter the wound, my fury shall spur this body onward even if my soul is rent from it!"
"You're even worse than he is!" Caliburn said. "Arthur, listen to me. I'm not saying that we should give up. But what will happen if we should lose this battle?"
"The townspeople have all been evacuated," Arthur said. "I'm gonna do everything I can to win, but everyone who chose to stay here knows exactly what they're in for. No use worrying beyond that."
Caliburn sighed. "I should have expected as much...but, your instincts have always served us well. So be it, then. To arms!"
"Heh, that's more like it!"
The Knights of the Underworld came to a halt a short distance from the castle gate. Three figures came to the front, the first being a large man with a bushy mustache, wrapped in a red and black cloak. Tinted glass covered his eyes, but nothing could hide his sinister grin. He held his arms high and shouted, "Arthur! So good to see you again. Have you finally come to your senses and decided to turn Camelot over to me?"
Arthur scoffed. "Dream on, Egg Mage! You'd just trash the place with your tacky sense of decoration. We're here to make sure that doesn't happen!"
The Mage shook his head. "My, my, you poor, delusional creature. Beaten time and again, yet still you think you can win? It's pitiful, really! Unless of course, you've managed to come up with some way to best your son Mordred?"
He gestured to his right; there stood a creature in the shape of a hedgehog, but its skin shimmered, molded from blue and silver armor into a metallic mockery of life. Its eyes were pitch black with red pupils, and they fixed squarely upon Arthur as it raised a rusty longsword.
"Will you quit calling it my son?" Arthur said. "I don't even want to pretend I'm responsible for bringing that thing into the world."
Percival stepped up behind Arthur and, in a hushed tone, asked, "Your Majesty...you do have a strategy for dealing with Mordred, do you not?"
Arthur smiled. "I'll figure something out. Just leave it to me."
With some reluctance, Percival stepped back. Egg Mage said, "I'm truly going to miss that witty optimism of yours, Arthur. But if you won't listen to reason, then I'll just have to trample over you and take Camelot by force!"
Darkness began to swirl around the Mage. Brandishing Caliburn, Arthur said, "Percival, you take command of the main force. They'll need guidance, and no one can beat you when it comes to strategy!"
Percival lifted her sword, Laevatein, so that it pointed straight up parallel to her face. "Understood."
"My liege," Gawain said. "Please allow me to deal with him."
The form at Egg Mage's left was also that of a hedgehog, one that was more familiar to them. However, no longer was this the same Lancelot they had once known: his armor was warped and caked with grime, with purple-gray crystals jutting out from the skin beneath and blood-red light shining through the slits of his helmet. He still carried Arondight, but tendrils of darkness now wrapped around the once-Sacred Sword, stemming from a ghastly green eye at the base of the blade.
"By yourself?" Arthur said. "I dunno, Gawain…"
"Please," Gawain urged. "It...it was my fault he fell to this corruption…"
"You still think that? Gawain—"
"Please! This is our final stand. My spirit will not know rest unless I am able to make this right with my own hands!"
Arthur stared hard at Gawain. Finally, he nodded.
"Thank you…"
The enemy horde began to move once more. Arthur leaned forward, saying, "This is it guys...are you with me?"
Caliburn, Gawain, and Percival all answered as one: "Always!"
They leapt from the castle wall, diving swords-first into the fray. A few dozen more soldiers emerged from the gate, rallying around Percival, and they slammed head-on into the oncoming tide. Egg Mage formed a protective barrier around himself as he retreated back, while the corrupted Lancelot charged forward with a feral cry. Mordred never took its eyes off Arthur. The king struck down as many of the lesser Knights of the Underworld as he could before the shade was upon him.
"Hrr...pretty impatient, aren't ya?" Arthur said as they locked blades. "Guess you really do take after me with some things!"
He leapt several feet back. Mordred pursued. Arthur carefully parried its strikes, trying to guide the shade's sword to create an opening. Spotting one, he thrust, only for Mordred to dart to one side and slash Arthur before he had a chance to recover. Arthur rolled away from Mordred, buying just one second to react as the relentless shade charged again; he threw out one leg to trip his opponent and earn the chance to land a glancing blow.
"Didn't quite inherit my good looks, though."
"Really?" Caliburn said. "You're cracking jokes even now?"
"Hey, I might not get another chance."
Mordred held its sword to one side. Then, its entire body—save for its head—began to spin, gathering speed until it became a blur before rolling forward. Arthur chuckled. Running in circles around Mordred, he matched the shade's rotation and tried to knock the sword from its hand. All he succeeded in doing was changing the angle at which the weapon spun. Thinking this might create an opening, but learning from his last mistake, he feinted a thrust to bait Mordred's counterattack before jumping into the air. Mordred put all its weight into its counter swing, its body finally coming to a halt just as Arthur dropped down and cut a long gash across its back.
"Excellent work!" Caliburn said.
Mordred shot a glare at Arthur.
"I appreciate it," the king muttered, "but I'm not sure we did much good…"
As Mordred renewed its assault, Camelot's main force continued to steadily turn back the Underworld horde. A Giant-One, axe at the ready, lumbered forward to smash its foes, but it never got the chance—Percival shot through the air to run Laevatein through its helmet, flicking the blade as she withdrew it to scatter enough flame to cremate the monster. More of the brutes were on their way, but Percival didn't miss a beat.
"Flames of Kilekion!" she shouted. A crimson veil swirled about her as she rushed forward. The giants were felled quickly, and she continued to carve a path ahead for her comrades until a flash of light caught her eye. Lancelot's rampage had finally brought him to her. She ceased her attack to take up a more proper stance, but that fraction of a second was enough for him to close the gap and swing his sword. His slash was deflected when another blade came flying through the air: one of the two halves of Galatine.
"Lancelot!" Gawain called as his sword flew back to his hand. "I am your opponent!"
The corrupted hedgehog twisted his head. "Rrrgh...Gawain…"
"So you remember me. I'm touched!"
Percival cast one last glance at each of them before leaving to fight elsewhere. Lancelot fixed his gaze on Gawain, hunching over and beating Arondight against the ground as the echidna edged closer.
"You've taken much from us, Lancelot. Sir Lamorak and his followers...the King's brother, Sir Kay...even Lady Merlina...it ends now!"
Lancelot roared. Flipping upward, he fired a series of energy shots that Gawain effortlessly deflected. He teleported as Gawain jumped, popping up right in front of his foe to attack, but the blow was caught between Galatine's two blades.
"Hah! I won't fall for that again!"
Gawain drew his blades apart to throw Lancelot off-balance. He then lunged forward, delivering a headbutt directly to his former friend's face that sent him flying. Lancelot bounced once, rolled in mid-air, and skidded a few feet upon his return to the ground. Gawain ran forward with swords drawn. Lancelot lashed out, sending out a wave of energy to force Gawain to one side before diving at him. Gawain leapt over Lancelot, trying to land a blow as they passed, but Lancelot managed to parry the attack. Lancelot followed with more blasts, Gawain narrowly gliding clear and circling back around. Teleporting above his foe, Lancelot unleashed a vicious downward strike; Gawain dug Galatine into the ground, using the extra leverage to fling himself clear, and Arondight ended up buried up to its hilt.
"Look at what you've become!" Gawain hit Lancelot with the flat of Galatine, stunning him. "Sir Lancelot, the bravest and most noble of knights? Where has that hedgehog disappeared to?!" He slashed Lancelot with one blade, then jabbed the pommel of the other into his gut. "You may have his strength. But without his heart, you are nothing but a fake!"
Gawain hopped forward, swinging both swords down at Lancelot. His momentum was halted as they both met with Lancelot's bracer. The hedgehog's entire body shook, exuding red light that intensified by the second. Gawain pulled back just enough to cross his arms as the energy exploded outward. The wave carried him away, and before he could recover, Lancelot shot forward and drove a heavy punch right into his face. A chunk of Gawain's helmet snapped off as he was sent hurtling back, Lancelot repeatedly teleporting forward to hit him again and again. Gawain could only grasp blindly, but he eventually grabbed hold of Lancelot. With all his incredible might, Gawain slammed Lancelot into the ground; his own force launched him back a short distance, but he finally managed to regain his footing. He saw Lancelot come up on all fours, light still emanating from his body as one piercing green eye glared through a crack in his helmet.
"Haaah...well…" Gawain hefted Galatine once more. "Seems appealing to your pride won't do the trick after all. We'll have to do this the hard way."
Another Chaos Blast rang out, and Arthur glanced towards it. His distraction did not go unnoticed. Mordred grabbed him by the collar and pulled, quick reflexes all that saved the hedgehog king from being skewered then and there. Quickly reining in his focus, he wrested away Mordred's sword and slashed it across the face, using a kick to repel it before slicing the rusted weapon in two with Caliburn.
"Ready to call this off anytime you are, scrap heap," Arthur said. He did his best to hide how out of breath he was. "I'll admit you're pretty tough, but Caliburn will wear you down eventually, and without a sword you won't even be able to tickle me!"
A familiar laugh reached his ears. "Oh Arthur, you didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"
Egg Mage, still shrouded in protective energy, made his way to Mordred's side and gestured oddly. Darkness began to billow around the shade, and Arthur allowed himself an exasperated sigh. "Right. This again."
Arthur dashed forward. Caliburn bounced off of the Mage's shield, forcing him to retreat as Mordred swiped a clawed gauntlet at him.
"Rats," Caliburn said. "I don't think we'll be able to stop this, Arthur."
"Don't interrupt me," Egg Mage said. "And don't get the wrong idea: what you witnessed before was merely a taste of the dark power Mordred is capable of channeling! Now that I've perfected the spell, it can harness all the energy of the Underworld to grind you into paste!"
Arthur planted Caliburn, leaning with one elbow against him. "I've never known you to 'perfect' anything, Eggy. But if you'd rather embarrass yourself than bow out gracefully, then at least pick up the pace."
Egg Mage's grin widened. "Heheheh...if you insist!"
With a sickening crunch, Mordred's body began to twist and change. It grew taller and sleeker, shadows spilling from its waist to form a black half-skirt while the quills on its head turned to long, upright spikes sporting streaks of white. Violet sparks crackled from its hand as it reached out, summoning a segmented orange and black greatsword it then flourished with ease. Arthur felt his quills bristle as he sized up his new foe.
"That's more like it! Now, Mordred, finish him off!"
Mordred flew forward and swung. Even blocking, Arthur was still bowled over by the attack. He leapt back to his feet at once, deciding to focus on evasion, but that too proved difficult: the size of its new weapon did nothing to slow down the blistering speed of Mordred's strikes, requiring Arthur to put his all into every single duck and sidestep. He tried putting distance between the two of them, but Mordred refused to give him an inch. Knowing he had to take a risk, Arthur moved in closer to strike Mordred's side, but the shade grabbed him just before he could get out of range. Electricity coursed through Arthur's body, drawing a pained shriek from him. Not yet content, Mordred followed up with its greatsword, piercing clean through Arthur's armor to leave him with a deep cut before dropping him to the ground.
"Arthur!" Caliburn said. "Are you alright?"
Arthur groaned. "What...this? Oh, yeah...I've had papercuts worse than—hrk—this…"
"Ohohohoho!" Egg Mage laughed. "What a beautiful sight! After all these years of struggle, I finally have Arthur at my mercy! Camelot is mine!"
Pushing himself up, Arthur said, "Don't get ahead of yourself, Egg Mage. I've still got some fight left in me."
The Mage rolled up his sleeves. "Is that so? Well then, perhaps I'll take this opportunity to end your miserable life myself! Step aside, Mordred."
Egg Mage took a single step forward, then leapt back as Mordred whirled on him. The shade's eyes burned with brighter light than ever before, piercing straight through the Mage.
"Eep! W-W-What's this? Now listen, Mordred: I am your creator! You will follow my orders, understood?"
Mordred gave no response.
"Step aside this instant! If you don't, then I'll just have to—"
Mordred smacked the Mage's barrier with its sword. It was unable to pierce the shield, but the shadowy veil warped, its energy folding in on itself, and ultimately it was sent careening back across the battlefield, taking Egg Mage with it.
"Well...whaddaya know?" Arthur said. "Poor guy can't even conjure up someone willing to listen to him talk."
Mordred's gaze fell upon Arthur once again.
"Arthur..." Caliburn said.
The king raised his weapon. "Yeah, I know. Let's get back to it…"
He did his best to ignore the next Chaos Blast he heard. Back at the epicenter of the explosion, Gawain propped himself up with Galatine, his breathing ragged and his armor in tatters. Across from him, Lancelot had his fair share of cuts and bruises, but they did nothing to stop him from shambling towards his foe.
"Such...ferocity," Gawain said, trying and failing to rise. "Ired as you were...I see now you weren't completely without mercy in our last duel."
Lancelot only snarled at him.
"...I'm sorry...Lancelot…" Gawain hung his head. "I let our petty feud consume me...let it fester into hatred...and that same hatred let Egg Mage do this to you. Lady Merlina always feared our squabbling would tear the Round Table apart...how right she was."
Lancelot hurled an energy blast. Gawain stumbled back, but managed to balance himself out somehow. After attacking, however, Lancelot swayed oddly, the light around him flickering. Gawain's eyes widened slightly. Taking this only moment to think, as well as one deep breath, he readied himself for what he had to do.
"If you can hear me, Lancelot...I hope we are able to reconcile in the next life. But now...for both of us...this life is…"
Charging headlong, Lancelot bellowed. Gawain remained still as his opponent bore down on him, and at the last second, he thrust with both swords. The blades pierced Lancelot's shoulders, and Gawain pushed forward to pin him to the ground. He struggled to break free, kicking Gawain in the ribs repeatedly, but Gawain held him regardless.
"Chaos...is power…"
The light emanating from Lancelot began to waver again. His writhing intensified.
"Power...enriched...by...the...heart…!"
Energy spilled out from Lancelot in every direction. Gawain held fast for as long as he could, but eventually the current proved too strong. Lancelot clawed at his chest, the wild energy pouring from his body only deepening the wound. Gawain crumpled. Lancelot loomed over him, body swaying, Galatine still embedded in his shoulders, energy still streaming out. Mustering all of his will, Gawain reached up and took hold of Galatine once more.
"The controller...serves...to unify...the chaos!"
He drew both swords down. Energy burst violently from the wounds, burning Gawain as he and Lancelot were both thrown onto their backs. Soon, the flow ceased, and the two of them lay there, breaths growing increasingly labored and shallow.
"There…" Gawain gasped. "That...should...free you...now I can...I can…"
Lancelot threw his head back. "Grrk...Ga...wain…?"
"Wh...Lancelot…? Are you…"
Lancelot coughed furiously. "Gawain...th-thank...you...I...I'm also...so…s…"
He said nothing more. Gawain waited a long time, hoping he would, but eventually accepted the truth. His wounds stung as tears washed over them.
"Gawain!" Percival ran in, dropping into a crouch next to Gawain. "This is...you exorcised him? Didn't you swear chaos off as heresy?"
He turned his head. "I saw...the chance to save him...if I had let it pass...then I would be worse than a heretic…"
Percival looked over to Lancelot, then turned back to Gawain. "Try not to move. We still have some healers—I'll bring one of them here."
"No," Gawain said, "no. It's...too late for that…"
"Gawain!"
"Take Galatine...take Arondight...help...the king...to…"
Gawain fell silent. Percival stared at him for a long time before finally climbing to her feet. "...Safe journey, my brothers. Until we meet again."
She sniffed quietly. Stooping to pick up Galatine, she marched back into battle, now the final Knight of the Round.
On the other side of the battlefield, Arthur was again knocked flat by the sheer power of Mordred's swing. The shade followed with a downward slash, prompting Arthur to leap up and begin running circles around his foe. Mordred thrust its sword into his path, giving Arthur the chance to attack from behind, but it shrugged off the blow and drove an elbow back into Arthur's ribs. Momentarily out of breath, Arthur just barely twisted beneath Mordred's next swing, and could only swipe weakly at its ankles. A single kick was enough to send him flying away like a rubber ball. He hit the ground hard, nearly blacking out from the impact.
"Man," Arthur said as he fought to stand. "What a powerhouse…nothing we do seems to faze him…"
"Arthur," Caliburn said. "We can't win like this. We have to unleash the power of Excalibur."
Mordred slowly lumbered forward. Arthur said, "I would in a heartbeat if it were that simple. But we can't do that without—"
"Worry not, my king." A wall of flames cut off Mordred. Percival dropped down next to Arthur, Galatine strapped to her back and Arondight in one hand. "I have brought everything you will need."
"Percival? What are you doing here?!"
She drew Laevatein from her belt, thrusting it into the ground before moving to Arthur's other side. "The soldiers are making considerable headway against the Knights of the Underworld. They'll manage without me for a short while."
Percival began to plant Galatine in the dirt as well. Now up on one knee, Arthur said, "Just hold on a second! If I unleash Excalibur, the rest of you are gonna be unarmed—I can't do that to you!"
The wall of flames split open. Mordred, sword drawn, stepped through the gap. Eyeing him cautiously, Percival said, "Sire, if you lose here, we all lose. I can fight well enough with only my powers of flame.
Sonic gritted his teeth. "Well...what about Gawain? He needs every edge he can get to deal with Lance!"
Percival silenced him with a look. "...My king. Gawain and Lancelot need their swords no longer."
Arthur's entire body went numb. His mind turned blank. That single moment seemed to last forever, but when it did pass, reality came crashing back in on him all at once. Arthur shut his eyes tight and hung his head.
Percival walked behind Arthur, regarding Arondight. "...I am unsure if the curse placed on Arondight will interfere with the process. Even my flames were unable to burn it away."
"It will be fine," Caliburn said. "When united as one, the light of the Sacred Swords can burn away any darkness."
Percival nodded and placed Arondight. Mordred was still coming closer, but seemed to be in no hurry.
"Arthur…" Caliburn gently urged.
Arthur sighed. "...Everything ends eventually." He climbed to his feet, glaring at Mordred with tears running down his face. "Let's make sure it's a good ending!"
Lines of runes joined the swords around him, forming a triangle that filled with enough light to obscure Arthur from view. The darkness strangling Arondight was instantly ripped away. When the light faded, the swords of the knights were gone, while Caliburn's guard had taken on a more elaborate form and golden light radiated from his blade. Arthur's armor, too, was now shimmering gold, having gained a full helmet and a red half-skirt that billowed behind him. Crying out, he thrust his sword skyward: light shot up from it, piercing a hole in the clouds of miasma so that a shaft of brilliant sunlight fell upon him.
"Greatest of all the Sacred Swords!" He drew the blade back. "This is Excalibur! I hope you're ready, Mordred!"
The shade tilted its head. Arthur nodded to Percival, who gave a quick bow before leaping away.
"Alright...let's do this!"
Arthur shot forward in the blink of an eye. Mordred barely had time to react, parrying Excalibur but being pushed back slightly. The two clashed swords once, twice, then jumped into the air and exchanged a rapid flurry of evenly-matched swings. Mixing in a thrust, Arthur managed to catch Mordred's sword at an odd angle and throw him off-balance. When he tried to push his advantage, however, Mordred flew back and took off through the sky.
"You're not getting away!"
Arthur took chase. The two of them crossed paths repeatedly as they soared over the clashing armies, eventually locking swords and crashing into the wall of Camelot Castle. Mordred ripped a chunk of mortar off the barrier as it hopped back, tossing it at Arthur in an attempt to surprise him. Excalibur cleaved through the stone like it wasn't even there. The blade nicked Mordred, but it lashed out anyway and sent Arthur flying into a nearby turret. It then faced the castle. Swinging its greatsword, Mordred unleashed wave upon wave of darkness on the fortress and its surrounding town, pulverizing many of the buildings to nothing but rubble. When it turned back to the turret, it was nearly run through by a bolt launched from the tower's ballista. The missile buried itself in a distant tree, and Arthur finally came flying out to smack Mordred in the same direction. Grinding down the rope attached to the back of the bolt, Arthur rapidly closed in, holding Excalibur high in preparation.
"Mordred!"
Flaring with dark energy, Mordred rushed him shoulder-first and swung wide. Arthur spiraled off to one side, but quickly righted himself and parried Mordred's next attack. When they pulled apart again, he winced, putting one hand to his side.
"It's that wound from earlier," Excalibur said. "Strange...it shouldn't still be causing you so much pain. Unless…"
"I just need you to keep me stitched together a little longer, buddy," Arthur said. "We're ending this now."
As they continued to duel, Egg Mage watched them from far below, limping his way along the battlefield's edge. Sneering, he said, "Curse that ungrateful shade...I give it life, purpose, power, and this is how it repays me?!"
He stopped to catch his breath. Surveying the battle, he realized that his forces were slowly but surely dwindling.
"I'll deal with Mordred once it's defeated Arthur. For now, I need to bolster my army."
A fireball exploded against his barrier. Egg Mage stumbled back and fell over, looking up to see Percival advancing upon him. "I think not."
The Mage pushed himself up, grinning at the knight. "Hah! Do you plan to stop me somehow? Even with the damage it's sustained, this barrier can easily withstand anything you can dole out!"
Percival narrowed her eyes. "That won't be enough to save you."
Egg Mage then heard a crackling. Looking down, he realized that a portion of his robe had spontaneously caught fire. He shouted, immediately and frantically attempting to put it out. "H-Hold on! What do you think you're doing?!"
"I can summon flames wherever I please. All you've done is backed yourself into a corner."
The flames spread. "Ooh! Ah! W-Wait! Ow! This isn't—gah!—the knightly thing to do! Argh!"
Percival drew closer, not taking her eyes off of Egg Mage. "On the contrary. Letting you escape would only put more innocent lives in danger. For the greater good, I will stop you here."
The flames grew. Egg Mage wailed as they seared him, unable to form a single word, barely able to even think.
"You've ravaged so much of my home...killed so many of my people, my friends...vanish into the flames of justice, Egg Mage. Far crueler flames await you still."
She said nothing more, simply waiting until the Mage's screams faded into the crackling of the fire. The barrier disappeared with him, but she stopped the flames from spreading, keeping them burning in place a few minutes longer to ensure only ashes would remain. Percival took the time to breathe when she finally extinguished the fire. Then, feeling a swell of newfound vigor, she went to join the main force in finishing off the Underworld horde.
Not far away, Mordred swooped down onto the battlefield to snatch an axe from one of the few remaining Giant-Ones. It swung the massive weapon with ease, but Arthur cut right through it. Pointing with its sword, Mordred hurled a bolt of purple lightning at Arthur, turning as he strafed to rake the land with a continuous stream of sparks. Arthur shot straight at Mordred—the shade tried to catch him with a slice, but he stopped short and counterattacked once the swing was complete. They clashed once, twice, thrice, again and again and again and again and again until Mordred finally pushed against Arthur with all its weight. Arthur dug in, but he was gradually being pushed back.
"You know," Arthur said through clenched teeth, "there's no reason...it has to be this way! You've escaped Egg Mage's control...haven't you, Mordred? Why...keep carrying out...his wishes?"
Mordred inclined its head.
"You can walk away! Make your life into anything you want! Whaddaya say?"
He waited a long time for a reply. When it arrived, it was in the form of Mordred kicking at his ankles and slamming his face into the dirt.
"...Okay then. At least now I know this is your choice."
Arthur rolled aside to avoid being impaled. Springing up, he took Excalibur in both hands and swung with all his might, leaving a great, shining gash across Mordred's chest. The shade stumbled, and Arthur seized the opportunity to strike again. Mordred parried the attack after that and jumped back out of range. It moved as if to dive back in, but it faltered, dropping to one knee.
"There's no reason to draw this out any longer, Mordred!" Arthur declared. "I'm betting it all on this last attack! Don't make it too easy for me, alright?"
Mordred raised its sword high as it stood. Purple lightning lanced out from it in numerous bolts, arcing towards the ground to create a sort of dome around the shade. Arthur similarly raised Excalibur, golden light tracing intricate rings in the space around him, and then they both pointed their weapons forward and charged. The two blades met head-on, and after one brief second of stalemate, Mordred's greatsword was torn to shreds by the might of Excalibur, letting Arthur drive the Sacred Sword through Mordred with an explosive flash of light. Dark energy burst from the shade and rapidly burnt out, leaving only an empty husk of metal that collapsed under its own weight. Standing tall, Arthur flourished Excalibur and stared at his defeated foe.
"We are victorious!" Excalibur said. "Now quickly, we must find a healer to tend to that wound."
Arthur gazed out over the battlefield. Only a handful of Knights of the Underworld remained, and the soldiers of Camelot were still fighting hard to vanquish them. It would not be long until the battle was truly over.
"Arthur?"
Camelot lay empty, the once-proud castle town in ruins and its people long-gone. Arthur chuckled. "Everything ends eventually…"
He spotted Percival nearby. Opening his helmet, Arthur smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. Then, he fell over on his side, his golden armor evaporating as Excalibur reverted to Caliburn. The other Sacred Swords clattered nearby.
"Your Majesty!" Percival shouted, bounding over to him. "Your Majesty, what's wrong? What ha…"
She fell silent. The gaping wound left by Mordred's sword continued to bleed, and the skin around it was tinged black with infectious dark energy. Percival knew she could stop the bleeding, but she knew nothing of this curse, much less how to heal it.
"Caliburn. I thought you said the light of the Sacred Swords can burn away any darkness?"
The sword averted his gaze. "That's...what I thought. But Egg Mage did say Mordred was imbued with all the power of the Underworld...in such concentration, it seems even Excalibur was not enough."
"There must be something we can do!"
Arthur reached up. "P...Percival…"
Looking down at him, she said, "It will be alright, my king! We will find a way! We will not let your reign end here!"
He grasped her shoulder—his fingers felt so weak. "Percival...don't worry about it…"
"Don't…? Stop speaking such nonsense, Your Majesty! I will not let you die!"
Arthur locked eyes with her. Though his body failed, his gaze still carried his full force of will. "Listen to me!"
With reluctance, she did.
"Please...there's something...very important...I need you to do…"
The horse's hoof falls echoed quietly through the trees. Percival squinted, trying to verify their path through the mist, before turning back to the bed of the cart. Arthur lay there, resting relatively easy. His occasional twitching was all that let Percival know he was still alive. In a bundle next to him were the Sacred Swords, Caliburn waiting silently at its center. A sudden rustle in the underbrush nearby made Percival flinch—she berated herself when nothing came of it.
It's been so many years since I first ventured out this way, she thought. But, I suppose if anyone knows of a way to heal the king, it would be her.
She tugged on the reins. A new shape was coming into view just ahead: the remains of some ancient stone structure, weathered and crumbling. Percival got out and walked forward, the mist seeming to finally lift so that she could recognize it as a gazebo perched on the edge of a vast lake.
"So," came a soft voice, "the time has finally come."
Percival spun, finding herself face to face with a pink hedgehog wearing an elegant blue dress. At once, she fell to one knee, bowing her head and saying, "Lady Nimue! Please forgive the intrusion."
Nimue offered a hand. "There's no need for that, Percival. I know why you've come."
Accepting the help up, Percival led Nimue to the back of the cart, pulling aside the blanket to reveal Arthur's wound. "That shade, Mordred, did this to him. Even Excalibur was unable to purge the darkness from his body. If something isn't done soon…"
Suddenly she realized they were not alone. Three figures, their features obscured by hooded cloaks, stood around the cart, so silent that even the horse seemed at ease with their arrival.
"...Who…"
"They are the stewards of Avalon," Nimue said. "They have come to escort him there."
Percival turned sharply. "What? No, we must tend to him now!"
Nimue shook her head. "Percival…nothing in this world can save Arthur. His fate was sealed the moment Mordred dealt him that wound."
Percival's eyes widened.
"Please, allow them to carry out their duty. All we can do now is see him off."
The largest of the stewards took Arthur in their arms, carrying him to the water's edge. Percival and Nimue followed. A long black boat awaited them there, and Arthur was gently laid within; the steward then climbed into the front of the boat, lit a lantern hanging from its bow, and waited. The second steward climbed into the rear of the boat, taking up the setting pole before turning their head towards the shore. The smallest of the three came to Nimue, handing her the Sacred Swords they had retrieved from the cart, and then they too climbed onto the boat and knelt at Arthur's side. Nimue drew Caliburn from the bundle and held him aloft, letting him take a final look at his wielder.
"Godspeed, my old friend," Caliburn said. "A sword could never ask for a better partner."
She wasn't sure if she was seeing things, but Percival swore the faintest smile appeared on Arthur's face. The steward pushed the boat onto the water then, and the vessel glided across the lake's surface like a ghost, until eventually it and its passengers were consumed by the mist. Percival, Nimue, and Caliburn stared after them for a long time.
"I had hoped…there might still be a way," Percival murmured. Tears began to well in her eyes, impervious to her efforts to fight them off.
Nimue looked aside. "I'm sorry, Percival. Sometimes, the one who survives the battle is the one who suffers most."
Percival covered her face with her hand, sobbing quietly.
"The reign of King Arthur was long and glorious," Caliburn said. "He and every one of his knights gave their all to defend the innocent and uphold justice; no doubt we will tell tales of them for many years to come. But now…that reign is at an end."
"Yes…for now," Nimue said. "It is foretold that one day, when the people of this world are in most desperate need of a hero, Arthur will return to aid them. Until then, he rests beyond mortal reach at Avalon."
"I hope that he will. And I hope that I shall be there to greet him. I am ready, Lady Nimue."
Nimue nodded. Turning to Percival, she said, "What will you do now, Percival? Camelot may be no more, but its people are safe. Will you rebuild with them? Guide them in this new age?"
Percival again looked out over the lake, contemplating the possibility. "...No. A new age requires new leaders. I would only chain them to the past."
"I see. Then, where will you go?"
"Nowhere. Or perhaps everywhere. Many dangers still lurk in the shadows…I must do what I can to protect the innocent from them, even if I can no longer enjoy that peace with them."
Nimue inclined her head. "Really? Percival the Knight-Errant…it does sound nice, doesn't it?"
When she was ready, Percival turned, again kneeling and bowing. "I can never thank you enough for all you have done for us, Lady Nimue. My gratitude shall follow me to the end of my days."
Nimue chuckled. Drawing Laevatein, she offered its hilt, saying, "Here. You'll be needing this."
Percival tentatively took the blade. "...Are you certain, milady? If King Arthur rests, then surely the Sacred Swords must rest with him."
"Not all of them. Not yet. True, there is a place for Laevatein in the halls of Avalon…but only for when its story is complete. And I still see many more adventures in its future."
Percival studied the weapon, eventually returning it to the sheath at her side. "Then my gratitude grows still, Lady Nimue. If that is all, then I take my leave of you…I suspect for the final time."
Nimue smiled. "We shall see. Safe travels, Sir Percival. I look forward to seeing what new legends you create."
Percival stood, nodding first to Nimue, then to Caliburn. She took one last look at the lake, offering a farewell bow to her king, and then returned to the path leading to the mist's edge. She did not look back.
Notes:
-Haha I love pain hahahahaha
-I honestly did consider titling this "Le Morte du Hérisson", in reference to "Le Morte d'Arthur". But we don't talk enough about With Me (from the Dark Queen fight) so I went with that reference instead. Plus, it feels right to link the two final battles this way.
-Sonic Storybook was an awesome idea actually and Black Knight specifically was super rad, Dark Age fans rise up. (Or can we just fold "the Dark Age" into "the Adventure Era"? I say this as a fan of both.)
-Honestly I wanted to expand upon what we got in the game and do a full-blown Arthurian AU, casting a whole slew of Sonic characters in various roles instead of just like...five. I don't have time for that though. Since Merlina gave some specifics on how Camelot was going to end, that seemed like the easiest part of the story to fill in, so I hardened my heart and went at it.
-Just giving Eggman his own unique role seemed like the best option. Obviously he can't work with robots in this setting, but the Knights of the Underworld seemed a decent equivalent. As for Mordred...the truth is that I have functionally zero interest in shipping Sonic characters, but a lot of interest in Metal Sonic, and that led me to the possibility of Mordred being Arthur's "son" in a metaphorical sense instead of a literal one. The idea is that Egg Mage was able to meld a stolen piece of Arthur's "essence" with the magic of the Underworld to create the doppelganger he named Mordred, and it gets Deathcalibur and transforms into Neo Metal Sonic because...um...well really just because it's cool. Yes Sonic Heroes was my first 3D Sonic what about it
-Corrupted Lancelot obviously takes cues from Mephiles the Dark. In my original AU idea I was actually thinking good ol' Memphis Tennessee would be something akin to Mordred but born of Lancelot's essence, probably a practice run before Egg Mage set his actual plan in motion, but that's way too much to cram in here. I needed some way to fulfill Merlina's prophecy of Lancelot and Gawain's rift destroying the Round Table, plus I wanted to make sure the few characters who did show up all had something to do. I'll admit, corrupted Lancelot originated more out of simple convenience, but I tried to get the most out of it: Gawain's appeal to his pride is meant to frame this as a metaphor for the way Shadow's character has devolved in the post-Colors era (or whatever the hell we're calling it), and that interpretation is presented as very much not who he actually is. Hopefully that softens the blow a little? If not then yeah, I apologize to the Shadow fans, you've been through enough already.
-As for Lancelot's listed victims, if you took the time to read this you probably already know that Lamorak is an Arthurian version of Jet who only appears in Black Knight's multiplayer. (I did also want to bring in Galahad but I was worried it might just complicate things.) By that measure, you can probably infer that his "followers" are Storm and Wave—in the broader AU idea I had them cast respectively as Sir Galehaut (a half-giant) and Sir Dinadan (known for sarcasm/wit). Merlina's mentioned because the story of Arthur's end usually removes Merlin in some way or another...I think. The odd one out is Sir Kay; in Arthurian legend he's Arthur's foster brother, with his father Sir Ector being the one who raised Arthur before the boy knew he was king. Given that relation I thought he deserved a mention. It's not really important but I pictured Espio filling his role: Kay was renowned for his skill and precision (much like a ninja), plus I thought the most obvious casting choice for Sir Ector was...well...take a guess. (If you need a hint, the answer is in the computer room.)
-It's normally Sir Bedivere who returns Excalibur to the lake, but I never did figure out who to cast as him. Plus, Percival didn't get a duel here, so having her take responsibility for keeping the plot moving felt like the best way to balance that out. I swear it's not because Blaze is my favorite. Blaze being the sole survivor here is pure coincidence. But she would 100% kill a man if not bound by the ESRB, having her fry the Egg is a decision I see no need to defend.
-And yes, I find it hilarious that Sonic Forces (the mobile app) is running a Black Knight-themed event right when I'm finishing/posting this. I'm really, really hoping it's lead-up to adding Gawain since he's the only story-significant knight not already playable. (Then maybe Lamorak! And Galahad! And Nimue! And Merlina! And—)