K, Here's the next chapter. So I've decided on Alucard and the Nazgul as body guards. They were both top two, so I'll just stick with them. I would have done the top three but number three was the lich and dead knights which is just to similar to the nazgul, and the zerglings which I've decided to use for soldiers instead :)
So Poll Winners!: Alucard, Nazgul.
May add other things down the line, but those are the currents. Thank you all so much :)
Okay, this is where I start to forcefeed exposition on how the Nasuverse fits into my own. I'll be explaining things so pay close attention and no… not everything is going to work how it works in Nasuverse. This is my universe and Fate stuff needs to obey my rules. I don't really care about technicalities like if they 'really' would work that way, just agree to disagree that in this universe… that's how it works… got it? Know that I am intentionally changing things, since certain things have already been established or are to closely related to other things in my universe that I might as well combine them. So super Nasu fan Nazis please don't keep correcting me on stuff I am intentionally meshing together so that my story is coherent. If I make mistakes, then explain them to me, and I will try to correct them, but make sure those mistakes are accidental and not intentional manipulation of a concept to help it fit into an established universe.
Warnings: Language, violence, minor sexual references.
Broken Angel
Chapter 53: Recruiting the King
"…. and that's when I met with the Shinigami and it offered for me to come here and serve you." Arturia explained. She had just spend the last two hours explaining things to Riley, her mates, along with Itachi and Voldemort. She had told them of the circumstances that led to her becoming king, she spoke a bit of her rule and her time as king. Then she spoke of the countries fall into chaos and her betrayal by Mordred. She then spoke of the deal she had made with Alaya, in order to search for the Holy Grail. They were all very intrigued to hear of this 'grail war' that had been occurring in secret from the magical and shinobi world for hundreds of years.
Though something about her story helped something click in Riley's mind. Once Arturia got to the part about her former master forcing her to destroy the grail, which she believes, he knew was corrupt, and she then explained what had happened after she destroyed it. Riley began to understand just why the world was so fucked up all of a sudden. She had become a full demon, right after the corrupt grail was destroyed. The evil that spilled out of it, must have tainted the world, which was why she felt so much chaos and corruption everywhere around her. It made sense in Riley's mind.
Meanwhile the others were busy contemplating other parts of her story, like the masters and servants, the Throne of Heroes, the Counter Guardians, and even Magecraft.
Yeah… magecraft was a new one for pretty much everyone present. The only persons whom knew what magecraft was, was Voldemort and Riley. Though Riley, it was only through her knowledge gained from Voldemort. When the topic reached that point, Tom explained that Magecraft was a form of magic utilized by mages. It was basically their own brand of magic and worked differently to Wizard magic, or Ninjutsu. They even had different understandings of the body and how the magic worked within it, but it basically used the same principals as Chakra, drawing magic from the chakra pathways, or magical pathways, rather then the coils or core, like shinobi and magicals used. The Mage's referred to these pathways as Circuits.
Mages were a highly secretive bunch, they didn't interact with anyone, not even magicals. It was believed that they had a secret society located somewhere in Europe but the ICW had no clue where. Needless to say… mages were powerful, but they were also few and far between. They were vastly outnumbered by the ICW and thus were forced to practice their 'magecraft' in secret. The ICW had a bounty out on anyone who knew anything about the mages and their location, but it seemed that the mages themselves, policed their own quite thoroughly as there had been little contact between mages and magicals over the last few centuries. Most magicals didn't even believe that mages existed, that's how well hidden they were.
The Counter Guardians, were something that intrigued Riley, to think that humanity actually had this force looking out for them… a force that may prevent their extinction. Well… luckily she had no intention of eradicating humanity. Once her paradise was built, they could nuke themselves out of existence for all she cared. Though she did make a mental note to be wary of any strange enemies she met in the future.
The Throne of Heroes was definitely something that made them all curious. The idea that if you did enough great things in your life, to the point where you became legend, that you could enter this throne and be immortalized, was kind of interesting. But in the end, it was the Master and Servants, and the Grail war that drew the majority of everyone's attention.
Arturia explained that the point of the Grail war was for several servants to duke it out alongside their masters, for possession of the Grail. Both winners got a wish. But… the last Grail had been destroyed when her master, figured out it was corrupt and used his command seals to force her to destroy it. At first she thought he had betrayed her, but after the Shinigami showed and explained to her what happened, she began to understand his motivation. Even if it ended up being for not, as the evil in the grail still spilled out into the world. Luckily, according to Arturia, it would be a while before the Grail reformed. When asked how she knew it would, she replied that the Shinigami made sure to state that she only destroyed the Grail's physical form. Something she made sure to remember, so she ventured a guess that the grail either could be repaired, or was naturally reforming. Which meant there was a strong possibility of another Grail War occurring in the future.
The other point of focus was on Arturia's and Riley's new bond as Master and Servant. According to Arturia, she gained an immense power boost when she bonded to Riley. She felt so much stronger then she ever had before.
Also, while Riley had no real power to 'force' Arturia to do anything, like the command seals used during the Grail wars, Arturia began to understand that Riley didn't need them. In fact, at least internally, she assumed that the Shinigami intended to watch Arturia battle with her own morals, since Riley couldn't force her to do something, but if she didn't do it, she might not fulfill the condition that she needed, in order to get her wish.
Of course at this point Riley just had to ask, "So… your Grace… why did the Shinigami send you of all people?"
Arturia looked thoughtful for a moment, wondering just how much of the deal she could explain. She figured that as long as she didn't say anything about her desire, she wasn't breaking the rules, so she just replied. "The Shinigami approached me at the moment of my death. He told me that if I agreed to serve you, and fulfill a condition of his, then you would grant me a boon, I greatly desire."
"The Shinigami said I'd give you something?" Riley asked in reply, as she recalled the Shinigami never mentioning something like that.
"Well… I guess the better way to phrase it would be that, he is preventing me from getting what I want until I fulfill his condition. Once I do… I can finally ask you for what I want. Then… well… I guess it's up to you, as to whether or not you grant it." Arturia clarified earning a nod of understanding from Riley and a look of curiosity from the others.
"What was the condition you had to fulfill?" Katie inquired.
"I'm not sure. The Shinigami only gave me a few hints as to what it may be. He said that it could be major or minor, and that I would only accomplish it by remaining in Riley's service." Arturia replied.
"That's all?" Daphne pressed, finding that to be a little hard to believe. I mean that could literally be anything.
"Well… he also stated that I may not even realize I had completed the task." Arturia recalled.
"Well… shit… that's not helpful at all." Katie noted.
"I believe that's the point. It's also the reason, I suspect, that the Reaper did not give Riley full command of my person. He intends to watch me as I do anything and everything to fulfill his condition. He knows of how much I desire my wish, but he will not allow me to reveal it in any form until I fulfill his condition. Thus… I will do anything and everything you wish of me, my master. Even if it goes against my beliefs. That is the Shinigami's game. Watching me cast aside my own codes and morals just to fulfill his condition." Arturia explained with the barest hint of anger in her tone. She knew, that she was right about the Shinigami's intention. Riley could literally ask her for anything, from killing children to becoming her sex slave, and Arturia would probably do it… she'd hate herself for it… but her wish came first. She'd do whatever she had too, to fulfill the Shinigami's condition. To change Britain for the better, was her goal… her dream. She could only do that with Riley's help… so she'd do what her master commanded… no matter what. Even if it killed her inside.
"Well… please don't fret too much. I'm not the kind of person to order people to do things they don't wanna do. And besides… I already have loyal servants whom don't have lives outside of mine. Their morals and beliefs are tied to my own. They'll do whatever I tell them, and they'll do it with a smile. Deimos, my dragon was just one of my servants." Riley informed Arturia whom gave her a focused look.
"So… what is it you intend to do with her, Riley?" Voldemort inquired.
"I'm not sure. I already have all the slots full, when it comes to positions I need filled. Deimos is my hunter. RAAM is my general. Skorge is my enforcer. Fenrir is my battle companion. Michael is my shield. Loki is my spy. Amygdala is my secret weapon. And the Gravemind is my communications and information center. Then I've got Kurama, Hashirama, and Madara as teachers. I've got the two of you as fellow leaders. And I've got my friends and mates to give me company. No offense to you, Arturia but when the Shinigami made me this deal, and offered me a weapon, I assumed it would have been something with less of an opinion… and made of more metal." Riley explained. Arturia nodded in understanding, Riley's explanation actually elevated her a bit in Arturia's eyes. If Riley was being truthful, then she had never intended to get a living servant, which was probably another of the Shinigami's games.
"If he said that you would be getting a weapon… perhaps he meant this." Arturia stated after a moment of thought, as raised Excalibur and set it on the table. "The sword has chosen me, but I have little doubt that one as strong as you could wield it." That last part obviously hurt for her to say. Everyone present could tell that parting with her sword would have never been something she would have even considered doing, up until this point. Whatever her wish was… it was something that she truly desired above all things.
Arturia herself, truly hoped that Riley would deny the sword, as Excalibur was Arturia's most prized possession. It had originally been Avalon, after having it's true importance explained to her by Merlin, she had come to covet the sheath much more. But by that time, it was too late, the sheath had been stolen and she knew not where it was. Now she was left with just Excalibur, and she did not intend to lose it. But… if she had to sacrifice the sword to save Britain… then she would, regardless of how much it meant to her. She had this feeling in her gut that this was just the kind of sleazy underhanded thing the Shinigami would force her to do, to fulfill his condition… what ever it was.
"If the Shinigami intended for me to have your sword… then he truly is a bastard. I really doubt I could wield that sword." Riley replied as she stared at the blade, her face scrunched up like she was staring into a bright light.
Arturia was legitimately surprised. She had hoped Riley would deny the blade, but she honestly didn't expect it. Excalibur was a truly mighty weapon, coveted by many. It could only be wielded by the King of Britain, but Arturia assumed that with how powerful Riley was, she could circumvent that requirement… or hell… maybe Riley was the new king… Arturia didn't know.
"While I wont deny that I'm happy at not having to part with it, I have to ask, why refuse it? Many would gladly give up their sword arms to wield this blade." Arturia found herself asking.
Riley was quiet for a moment. Riley's mates, along with Voldemort and Itachi suspected as to why she was refusing. They were proven right when Riley let out a sigh and reached out. She placed her hand on the hilt of the blade, and a bright golden flash, immediately lit up the room.
Arturia reared back in surprise while everyone else in the room, cringed. They all guessed that would happen.
Arturia was surprised, as she watched Riley grit her teeth in pain. The hand that had touched Excalibur, now had an ugly burn mark running along it. The skin was red and blistering. Riley quickly began to run healing energy through it, and while the burns healed, instead of vanishing like any wound had done prior, this time they scarred over. Leaving a large red burn scar, across Riley's hand. This marked the first time that Riley had ever been hurt, and she couldn't fully heal from it.
Riley's mates were completely shocked as they saw the scar on her hand. They had seen Riley get stabbed, shot, blown up, incinerated, and many other horrible things, and she had just shrugged it off, and repaired herself. She didn't have any scars on her body… but now she did. The sword Excalibur was truly a mighty weapon if it could leave a scar on an Archdemon.
Arturia just continued to stare as she wrapped Excalibur back in Invisible Air, and placed it by her side. She had never seen the blade react like that. Once during her time as King, she had been cleaning the blade at a table. She had set it down on the table to take a drink from a nearby mug when Merlin had walked up next to her and leaned on the table. One of his fingers accidentally brushed against Excalibur's hilt and he was sent flying back about fifteen feet. At that point, people became very focused on knowing where the sword was at all times, as no one wanted to accidentally brush against it and get sent flying. It was actually a running joke amongst her knights that only Lancelot was brave enough to stand by her side where she held Excalibur.
"Excalibur is a holy weapon. I am it's opposite. A creature of evil. That thing you saw in Kamui… the fox? He's an Archdemon, named Kurama. A tailed beast. I gave you a brief explanation as to what that was, but do you know what an Archdemon truly is?" Riley inquired as she flexed her scared hand.
"I know of demons… though I do not know what an Archdemon is. Is it some form of demonic creature?" Arturia replied.
"More like a rank. In the dark worlds there are three types of creature. Demons, Devils, and Fiends. Demons, are pure power. Devils, are control. Fiends are the middle ground. Above them are those with the title of Greater, and above that, are the leaders of the demonic horde, which hold the title of Arch. Kurama is a low level Archdemon. He was sealed into my body on the day of my birth. An incident occurred and the seal was damaged. Bits of his soul began to leak out, and I began to absorb them. Fast forward a few years and he finally awakens. Once awake, he informs me of what is happening with his soul. Not wanting to be absorbed, Kurama and I made a deal. He would become my personal summon for a century and help train me, and I would become a demon. He helped me perform a ritual that adapted my human soul to the demonic parts I had absorbed from him. In essence, I became the eleventh tailed beast. I'm still not at full power… it'll take about another century before I reach that level, but yeah… I'm not human… I'm a demon. That's why Excalibur rejected me so harshly. No… when the Shinigami sent you as a weapon, he meant you. Not the sword. I think, he thinks I'll use you for some nefarious purposes, and it'll be fun for him to watch you struggle with your morals." Riley explained.
Arturia was immensely shocked to hear this. But the Shinigami's description of her as a goddess made more sense now. He just neglected to mention that she was a dark goddess. Arturia guessed that Riley was right, when she said that the Shinigami probably intended to watch as Riley forced her to do nefarious and evil things, in service to this dark god. Just so she could get her wish. A grimace was plastered on her face as she thought about it.
"Hey… Riley's not that bad. She's got her moments, but she's a good person." Katie stated when she noticed Arturia's grimace.
"Yes… Riley is very loving. Sure she can have her moments of occasional evil, but she always makes the right choices." Fleur added, earning nods of agreement from Luna and Daphne.
"What do you mean, moments of occasional evil?" Riley inquired with an affronted look.
"We'll talk about it later, my love." Fleur replied with her own grimace as she realized she had unintentionally brought up something she needed to speak with Riley about.
"About what? What did you mean?" Riley pushed.
"Later." Fleur stated firmly. Riley just stared at her for a moment before scowling.
"Well… we've gotten a bit off track. The original question was, what to do with her? We could really use the help of King Arthur, especially in the Wizengamot." Voldemort got the conversation back on track.
Riley continued to stare at Fleur for a moment, all the while wondering what she could have done recently that the Veela could have considered evil. It couldn't be killing people. Riley did that all the time. And they were all evil. Well… their may have been a few innocents in Konoha, but that was war, shit happens. Riley didn't intentionally target them… those deaths were purely accidental.
"Riley." Itachi stated her name, drawing her attention back to the conversation.
"I honestly don't know what to do with her. Like I said. I have all the roles, I need filled, full." Riley stated with a shrug.
"Well… what if she acts as your bodyguard for now, until you can find something better." Itachi offered.
"I don't need a bodyguard." Riley countered.
"It would not hurt to have one, love." Fleur countered.
"I agree. Besides… she can only fulfill her condition, if she's with Riley, so why not something simple like that." Katie agreed.
"Fine." Riley replied as she noticed her mates beginning to gang up on her.
"I can serve as your guard. That wont be an issue. Though you said I could also assist in some… Wizengamot?" Arturia inquired.
Tom and Riley shared a glance. They had a brief conversation with their eyes before Riley motioned for him to explain.
"Alright your grace, I'll explain what the Wizengamot is, but first I need to give you a brief run down of our country first. I assume you know that you are in your homeland, Britain?" Voldemort began.
"Yes." Arturia nodded.
"Well… The country of Britain is home to several million people. These people are split into two main societies. Magical and mundane. While they are called Mundane, it is merely from a magical standpoint. The muggles have made amazing strides in technological and social advancements. The muggles are ruled over by parliament, and parliament is led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is an official elected from Parliament that effectively runs the nation. On the magical side of society we are run by the Wizengamot, which is a body, made up of the heads of certain influential families. Leading the Wizengamot is the Minister of Magic. Now, sitting in a special position, is the royal family, headed by the Queen. The Queen is an important political figure, while she doesn't hold official decision making powers, she is representation of British society and many look up to her. Most of her political power stems from her control of the magical world. The Prime Minister is technically the head of the country, but the magicals only recognize the head of the Royal family as their absolute leader. So while the Minister of Magic may work alongside the Prime Minister… the two are basically separate entities." Voldemort explained to her.
Arturia listened intently as Voldemort explained the new system by which her country ran. It was very confusing to her. So the monarchy no longer held power… and things were instead run by this Prime Minister? That was so odd sounding to her. She wondered if such a system worked.
"Now… while the Queen is technically at the top of Magical society. She doesn't often get involved, and we are allowed to govern ourselves. She occasionally checks in and sets up meetings between the two heads of our societies but aside from that… the Wizengamot and the Minister of Magic, run things here. Now… in the Wizengamot… each member holds a certain number of votes, depending on how many lordships they hold. The numbers are as followed. One vote for any ancient and/or noble house. Two votes for any house with a single 'Most' in front of the title, like Most Ancient or Most Noble. Three votes for those whom have both titles, of Most Ancient and Most Noble. And Seven votes in total if you hold one of the Most Ancient and Revered seats." Voldemort continued with his explanation.
"So… those within this Wizengamot, make decisions for the magical side of society, and the number of votes they possess are indicated by the number of lordships they hold and what caliber of lordship it is." Arturia reiterated his explanation, hoping she understood it right.
"Yep." Riley stated with a nod.
"And I'm guessing this Minister of Magic decides on what to vote on?" Arturia inquired.
"Most of the time yes. There are three groups within the Wizengamot that can bring matters directly to the Wizengamot's atention during meetings. The Heads of Most Ancient and Most Noble houses such as Riley can bring matters up during the meetings to be discussed at length. The Minister, can bring matters up, and order votes on certain bills or laws, as well as call emergency meetings of the Wizengamot. And finally the heads of the Most Ancient and Revered families, such as yourself, your grace, could not only bring matters up and demand votes, but also call for emergency meetings." Voldemort replied.
"So even being dead, for fifteen hundred years, I still hold political power within the Government?" Arturia inquired with a bit of surprise. She hadn't thought her past kingship would have amounted to much this far in the future. Especially with how bad it had been. During her time in the grail wars, her opponents only ever spoke of her battle prowess and not her failed kingship. She was therefore surprised to see that such a thing still mattered, even if just a little… to those that lived so far in the future.
"Well yes. None of the Most Ancient and Revered seats are held currently. They are as follows, Emrys, Peverell, Le Fay, and Pendragon. The most recent one to be held was Peverell but the last one died out years ago. These four seats were mostly created in honor of these names that helped to form out society. You would easily be able to claim the Pendragon seat, as you are, the one and only Pendragon." Voldemort answered.
Arturia had been listening intently to his explanation but she couldn't help the snort of amusement that escaped her, when she heard that Merlin could have held a seat such as this.
"What's so funny?" Riley inquired.
"Merlin… such a troublesome man. His heart was too full of love… and his many affairs led to much turmoil in my kingdom. I respect the man a great deal, but there were times when I wanted to run him through with my sword. If he were here now, you would understand why I find it amusing that anyone would grant him a position of actual authority. I just find it surprising that he is still alive and running." Arturia answered with a chuckle.
"Merlin is alive?" Voldemort asked as the group shared surprised looks.
"I can feel him. I know he's alive out there… somewhere. I have no idea where though. Probably running from another affair of his. Still… I find it surprising that none of his bastards have taken the seat for themselves. The man had long made it his mission to mount every woman in the land, married or not." Arturia replied with an annoyed look. The whole group found it simply surreal the legendary wizard Merlin was actually a skirt chaser. Honestly, that was just too out there, and yet… it had to be true… I mean… King Arthur was the one saying it. Who would know better then him. er Her?
"Anyway… right now… there are three major political factions within the Wizengamot. There is the light. The Dark. And the Neutrals. Now… don't let those names fool you. They're labels that have been assigned by the Light side. There's a few major problems going on in Britain right now… and I'm not just talking about the war." Voldemort informed her.
"Yes… I saw that. Once you finish with what's going on within the country, you can explain about them." Arturia stated.
Nodding, Voldemort continued. "The magicals are split up into five classifications here in Britain. There's the Purebloods, whom are people whom come from long established lines of magicals on both side of their parentage. There's the Halfbloods, which have one pureblood, or halfblood parent and one muggleborn or muggle parent. Then there is the muggleborns whom don't have a recognized magical ancestry. Those three identifications are used for humans. After them there are the dark creature's like the goblins, and the light creatures like the fairies. Neither have representation in the government and many creatures are labeled dark, even if that's not the side of the spectrum they come from. Anything that's a labeled dark creature, doesn't have many rights here in Britain, and neither do the muggleborn."
"What do you mean by that?" Arturia inquired with a bit of confusion.
"Halfbloods, and Purebloods rule society. The two groups are often filled with bigots, whom view any creature that falls into the dark category, as evil. Thus it is a plague meant to be wiped out. My uncle, one of the men whom raised me is a werewolf, a dark creature. He's a good man, but if people knew what he was… he'd be fired from his job, and probably strung up if he was unlucky. My mate, Fleur here… she's a Veela. Also seen as a dark creature here in Britain." Riley explained.
Arturia made a face at that. During her time, all magical creatures in Albion were her subjects. She protected them as the King, and while they didn't really mingle with one another. They all lived in relative harmony. Even as the Kingdom collapsed it was mostly the humans whom were causing the fighting. To hear that certain creatures were being denied their rights, and even targeted, was something that made her grit her teeth in anger.
After a moment she looked to the blonde haired woman, Riley had gestured too. "What's a Veela? I've never heard of your kind before."
"Oh… Um… Veela are in ze most basic description, Avian human crossbreeds. If you qualify as a Veela, zen you can change shape into a bird, and have access to powerful fire magic. Zough what qualifies us as 'dark' by most of society is Zat each Veela is born wiz a power called Allure. It is basically an inborn ability zat exemplifies our beauty to such levels zat in some cases it can enzrall weaker minded men." Fleur explained.
"Show her." Riley urged. With a nod, Fleur released her allure. Itachi found himself blushing, but he was strong enough to resist most of it. Tom, being Riley's familiar was also able to resist it. Fleur's mates, especially Katie were gawking at her. Riley simply smirked as she felt that oh so familiar feeling of arousal pass through her. Fleur had gained an immense amount of control over her allure in resent months, to the point, where she could almost fully suppress it, and most people didn't even notice it.
Riley sent a quick glance at Arturia, and was surprised to see the King, blushing deeply at the sight. Riley knew that while anyone could see Allures affect. Only those attracted to woman could actually feel it's arousing aspect. So straight woman, and gay men, weren't affected by a Veela's allure.
So, that was why it came to a surprise to see the female King, blushing so deeply, and staring at Fleur with that 'deer caught in the headlights' look. Lesbians also weren't affected by the 'draw' of a Veela's allure, but that didn't mean they weren't aroused by the sight.
"I think you can stop now, Fleur." Riley stated with a chuckle.
Fleur quickly cut off her Allure and sent a glance at Arturia. She was surprised to see her staring, and blushing a crimson color.
"Ah… My apologies… I did not know zat you were… attracted to women. Only zose whom find woman sexually attractive feel the affects of my Allure. Ozers just see it." Fleur apologized.
It took a moment, but Arturia managed to shake off her blush. But it quickly returned as those around tried not insinuate anything with their looks.
"I was married to a woman. And while I found her attractive… I never bedded her. Much to Merlin's chagrin. She was in love with another. And while I did find her appealing in a physical sense… I was too focused on other things to pursue a physical relationship." Arturia offered up as an explanation as she stared off. Surprisingly everyone simply nodded and moved on. It was about now, that Arturia realized that perhaps being a woman, attracted to women wasn't as odd as it had been in her time. As none of the men commented on it, and Riley well… she obviously already had a few women that she loved so… yeah… the embarrassment quickly faded and they moved on.
"Anyway… because you're a woman you only saw the beauty she possessed while using her Allure. However, men feel a draw from it. The ones with stronger wills, just want to fuck, but the weak minded ones want to serve. They turn into drooling half-minded fools, whom couldn't think their way out of a soaked paper bag." Riley explained how Fleur's Allure worked and why people considered it dark.
"Hm… Odd… I did feel something, when she used it. A desire… but… I'm not quite sure what it was." Arturia stated, looking thoughtful.
Everyone was quiet for a moment, not really knowing what to make of that, so it came to a surprise when Fleur suddenly asked, "'ave you ever been a man, your grace?"
"Uh… why do you ask?" Arturia replied with a bit of a surprised look. Meanwhile everyone besides Riley shot a look at Fleur, wondering why she would ask something like that.
"Well… it 'as been documented zat women whom utilize gender alteration magic, tend to keep at least a few of ze hormonal changes brought on by ze magic, even after zey change back. I know enough about sex magic to know zat spells zat allowed for same sex reproduction only came into being seven hundred years ago. 'owever, magic to alter ones gender from male to female and female to male, 'ave been around since ze time of Alexander ze Great. And you said you were married to a woman… I just guessed that you may have felt a bit of the Allure's draw because you had used one of those spell once upon a time." Fleur explained earning nods of understanding from those around.
Arturia was quiet for a moment, a blush creeping onto her face as she stared off. "Merlin made me do it."
"Hey, I do it. No judging here." Riley stated with a shrug.
"Did not need to know that." Itachi muttered as he shook his head.
"Anyway. Our desire is to change the current system of beliefs, and in order to do that we need to control the Wizengamot. We already have plans set in place to effectively shift control of the country to us, but your help would be greatly appreciated." Voldemort continued on, drawing the conversation back on topic.
"Very Well, what is the plan?" Arturia inquired.
"Well… during the last uprising they tried to seize control in the old fashioned manner, through brute force. That method quickly escalated to a full blown civil war. This time around, we went with a more subtle tactic. You see… Thomas here is really, Tom Riddle. Otherwise known as, Lord Voldemort. The leader of the dark and the current and most feared Dark Lord. A number of years ago his physical body was destroyed leaving many to believe that he had died. In reality he was biding his time and returning to a physical form." Riley explained.
"Riley was actually the one whom aided in my revival. She created this body for me to inhabit, and from there we began to move forward with our plans." Voldemort stated.
"So… what is the current plan?" Arturia asked.
"Deception. You see, only a few people think that Voldemort is back. Most of them, belong to Dumbledore's camp. Dumbledore is one of the most power political and magical figures in Britain right now. He serves as Chief Warlock, the head of the Wizengamot, as well as Supreme Mugwump for the ICW. He's the major threat to our plans, but we think we've got a good way of gaining his allegiance to our cause. Right now… Britain is to focused on the war with Iwa and Oto to worry about Voldemort. And the Ministry outright refuses to believe in his return. A rift has formed between Dumbledore and the Ministry, and it continues to grow, as long as Dumbledore keeps trying to assert that Voldemort is indeed back. With the rift as it is now, it wont be long before Dumbledore is kicked out of his current positions. Once that occurs we can begin moving." Riley began explaining.
"Once Dumbledore has been removed from office, we'll begin acting. The first thing we intend to do, is get a law passed by the Wizengamot. Your assistance would help in this matter, immensely. This law, will simply state that if the Military, being us, is called out for whatever reason, and something happens to the Minister, during that time, then we take control of the country until the Wizengamot picks a new minister. The plan, is that while the Military will keep the country in order with the Minister gone, the Wizengamot will be working quickly to get a new minister in place so that control of the country is returned to them. With this law in place, most members of the Wizengamot will be in a rush to pick a new leader, since the military is run by three people whom have only lived in Britain for a few years, and that just isn't right." Voldemort continued.
"So… you want this Wizengamot to rush it's decision. You want them to throw someone in charge so they get control of the country again?" Arturia clarified.
"Exactly. We have our own man in place to take the place of Minister. He has plenty of support from the dark families. But this law will ensure that the neutrals and the light, just say to hell with it, and put him in charge, because otherwise the military is left running things, and if they start dragging their feet, we can begin strong arming them from our position of power. Once Lucius is in charge, we've effectively won. We just need to deal with Dumbledore. With Britain under our control a confrontation between Voldemort and Dumbledore is a given. When Dumbledore does finally show up… our plan is simple. You see… Dumbledore is a peaceful man. Powerful. But peaceful. We'll explain to him our concerns with Britain and why we needed to change things. Having not killed anyone this time around, I think Dumbledore will see that we truly aren't the bad guys. Dumbledore is a man who believes in second chances. But he is also the leader of the light. If we can get him on our side then the only resistance that will be left to Britain's change, will be the neutral families." Riley answered.
"So… other then explaining things to him… how else do you intend to gain this wizards aid?" Arturia inquired.
"By offering him a choice. We don't want to kill him, or his Order of the Phoenix. But we will if we have too. We'll give him a choice. Join us, and keep his positions in the Ministry and at Hogwarts, and help us build a better Britain. Or he can choose to fight, and we'll kill him and his Order members. All for the good of Britain. If he agrees, then the Cysgodol Legion will show up, and 'kill' Voldemort. With Voldemort truly dead this time, all those he had placed the dark mark on will be freed from it. And we can say that Voldemort was controlling them through it. This way, Voldemort is dead. Dumbledore is on our side. The Legion gains more prestige and Britain is stable." Voldemort answered.
"Once that's done. We can prepare for phase two of our plans. Which involves making the Cysgodol Legion the most feared and respected military force in the world." Riley stated.
"Once the country is secure, you seek to grow the military might of the legion. Tell me about it? How strong is it currently and what are your plans to help it grow?" Arturia asked in reply to Riley's statement.
"The Legion was only recently formed to combat the threat of Iwa and Oto. Thomas, Itachi and I are the commanders of the Legion. We report directly to the Minister, and the Wizengamot. We've already started gaining a bit of prestige for fighting off that incursion a little while ago. I'm sure the country will be buzzing about it, in the morning. Right now, there is only a few hundred of us. But our numbers are slowly growing. Our forces are made up of Shinobi and magicals, If you were in Japan for a bit during the last Grail war, I'm sure you know what a Shinobi is. Or at least what it means. I'll explain more about them in a bit. But to answer your question about our plans, we intend to 'kill' Voldemort, which will gain the legion some renown. And then… we'll lead them into war with Iwa and Oto." Riley explained to her.
"So… what are these shinobi? I know that a shinobi, is basically an assassin, but I doubt we're refering to the same thing. Those men I fought, they were shinobi right? They fought with cunning and magic, and used deception and trickery in battle, but they didn't utilize tactics, typical of assassins I've met." Arturia replied.
"Well. The shinobi you're thinking of, are basically assassin. The shinobi you fought, operate under slightly different mandates. Those shinobi come from a place called the Elemental Nations. It's a hidden continent that sits off the coast of China and Japan. Within this continent are several nations named after the elements, and within these nations are what are known as hidden villages. The two we are fighting, are known as Otogakure, and Iwakagure. These hidden villages produce Shinobi, which are warriors that utilize stealth, along with Ninjutsu, ninja magic, Taijutsu, martial arts, and Genjutsu, Illusionary arts. The shinobi cover the whole spectrum when it comes to their honor. Some are noble warriors whom have strict codes of honor and chivalry. Others are murderous assassins whom will kill you just for looking at them funny. Shinobi are widely regarded as the strongest magical warriors on the planet. I've never seen a shinobi fight a mage before so I wouldn't know how they fare against each other, but against magicals, shinobi would win every time. The reason for this is that while the rest of the world has developed their magic in secret from muggles, those within the Elemental nations haven't had to hide, the muggles there know of magic, and utilize the services of shinobi for all kinds of tasks." Riley explained to her.
Arturia listened carefully and took all the information in. After a few moments, she focused her attention on Riley. "I understand. Once Britain is secure, I'll help you destroy these invaders. I will also offer my assistance in this Wizengamot, if it will further your goals and help Britain regain it's lost nobility."
"We appreciate the help. We'll need to come up with a believable excuse as to why you are alive. Or maybe come up with a secret identity for you, but for now. We'll take all the help we can get." Riley replied with a nod.
"Okay… so we've got her mostly up to speed. Now… what are you gonna do with her?" Katie inquired.
"What do you mean?" Riley replied with a tilt of her head.
"I mean… where is she gonna live? Are you gonna take her to Hogwarts? Are you gonna take her to the Hidden Village? What's the plan?" Katie clarified.
"Well… I already built the extension on my home in Britain for Naruko, Hinata, and Kakashi, but Kakashi moved to the village. So I guess she can just take his room. I'm probably not going to take her to Hogwarts, at least not yet. I think it would make a lot of people uncomfortable if I told them I have King Arthur as my personal bodyguard. I'll probably take her to the village, and let her get acquainted with it. Her understanding of military tactics and combat, while dated, would be invaluable to us. And I can have RAAM learn a bit from her. Otherwise… I don't know. Maybe I can take her out with Ralael and have her help me clean up the streets?" Riley replied and then finished with a shrug.
Riley's mates nodded in reply while Arturia just offered a curious look. "Who's Ralael?"
"Oh..." Riley began to reply as she shifted into her demonic form earning a surprised look from Arturia, "That would be my true form. I call it Ralael. The Angel of Carnage. I created it to allow me to clean up the world a bit while also drawing everyones attention away from my other plans. Though… I have been growing tired of using it. I think I'll get rid of it soon, and perhaps I'll use the legion as my eye catcher." Riley explained.
Arturia nodded in understanding, as she scanned Riley's demonic features. There was a certain beauty to the demonic visage Riley carried now. Especially her wings. As black as night, though each burned with a fire within it.
"While the four of us need to have a chat with you, I also need to speak to you in private about this very subject." Daphne spoke up, earning a curious look from Riley and the others. Though once again she just gave Riley a look that said 'later'.
"Alright. We'll continue this conversation later. For now I think you should take Arturia to her new home, and… clear up… the matters you have with your mates. We'll handle everything here." Voldemort stated to Riley.
Riley offered a nod of agreement and took Arturia, along with her mates, back to her home in Britain. After introducing Arturia to Sirius, Kushina, Hinata, and Naruko, they allowed her to get settled in her new room.
Afterwards, Riley stepped up to her room, where her mates gathered for that private chat they needed to have with her.
"Alright… Daphne… start off with what you need to talk about. Then you guys can explain to me, about this 'occasional moments of evil' crap." Riley ordered as she closed the door to her room.
"Well… It's not as important as that, but I just needed to have a quick chat with you about when you decided to stop being Ralael." Daphne responded as she sat on the edge of Riley's bed.
"Okay… what did you need to talk about?" Riley replied as she stood in the center of the room, eying her lover curiously.
"I know you've been growing tired of it lately. Tired of hiding and pretending. I know you plan of stopping or revealing yourself, and I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the possible repercussions." Daphne replied.
"What do you mean?" Riley inquired curiously.
"What I mean, is that… if you wanna quit being Ralael, that's fine. But just quit. Or get rid of her in a unique fashion. But don't reveal yourself. I know you're strong enough to deal with the fallout… but us… your friends and family… we all will have to deal with it too. The more you do as Ralael… the stronger the fallout will be. If you wanna stop… then stop. But don't allow the world to know of the connection between Ralael and Riley. That put's us, and your friends in danger. Ralael is a mask… you can't let the world see what's underneath it. Otherwise… we all take the fall for it." Daphne explained her concern. Riley looked thoughtful, she thought back to her last few outings and how she was losing interest in hiding… but Daphne was right… she needed to keep Ralael's true identity a secret… she couldn't just drop the mask. She'd have to get rid of it… without tying it to herself, otherwise the whole world would turn on her, and by extension… those she loved.
After a moment Riley offered a nod of agreement and the girls all shared looks.
"Alright… I'll take your words to heart, Daph… now… what about the other thing? What have I done recently that you guys consider evil? Is this about those that died in Konoha because if it is…." Riley responded but was cut off when Fleur interrupted her.
"It is not about zat my love. We are at war with Konoha. A secret war… but a war nonezeless. Innocent people die in war. And we cannot ask you to hold back and try to spare zem all. Zose innocents zat perished in Konoha… zey were casualties of a war zat Konoha started. What we're talking about… what we're concerned about is… well..." Fleur responded though she looked like she couldn't find the right words at the end.
"Fleur told us about what you told Naruko. About the other children she sired. Do you really intend to kill babies, and their mothers?" Katie asked as she gave Riley a focused look.
"That's what this is about? Those woman were probably at the front of the line when Naruko was offered up as a stud. Anyone who'd willingly force themselves on someone just to have a baby that the Leaf would steal the moment it's born, is a terrible person. Worse then some of the people I've killed. As for the children… they're threats. The Leaf is going to use them as weapons… weapons to slaughter countless people. I can't risk that happening. It's safer just to end them and move on." Riley replied.
"How do you know those women were compliant in Naruko's rape? How do you know that weren't forced like Hinata was? How do you know those babies will turn out bad? You say they're threats but to who? You?" Katie countered as she shook her head.
"You've never intentionally harmed anyone who hasn't harmed you first. The innocents that died in the Leaf, were accidents. But you didn't intentionally harm them. These children… and their mothers have done nothing to you." Luna added.
"Why do you care at all? Do you even realize how dangerous the Rinnegan is? You've got a fucking maniac out there whose calling himself god, because of these eyes. He's brainwashed an entire country into serving him, and he thinks the world is his playground because of these eyes. Naruko was bred, solely for these eyes. The chances are good, that these children will be born with the Rinnegan and if they are… they pose a serious threat. I mean… hell… do I need to explain to you all about the Sage of Six Paths again. That fuckin' guy had the Rinnegan and he made the god damn moon with it. This power… isn't meant to be wielded by normal people, and it certainly isn't meant to be wielded by people like Minato Namikaze and Mito Uzumaki!" Riley fired back.
"Riley… these are just babies. Even if their mothers were compliant in Naruko's rape… that doesn't change the fact that they're babies. You don't kill babies." Katie argued.
Riley looked about ready to counter but Luna cut in.
"The Sage of Six paths… he beat the ten tails… is that why you're so worried about these children? Are you afraid they'll one day repeat the process on you?" Luna inquired, giving Riley a focused look.
"What? No… I'm not afraid of what these kids will do to me… I'm afraid of what they'll do to the world..." Riley responded, but was cut off midway by Daphne.
"So it is fear. You're afraid they might destroy everything you intend to build. Riley… when the hell have you even let fear dictate your actions?" Daphne stated.
"Fear is a healthy thing to have. Especially when dealing with a power like the Rinnegan." Riley countered with a glare.
"Riley… I don't care about the why…. These are babies. And you don't know if the mothers are innocent or not… you can't just kill them without knowing the truth… and even if the mother's were guilty… you've never hurt someone who didn't deserve it. You never killed people what weren't scum. And at the very least you always acknowledge when someone innocent dies in the line of fire. You're a good person… you don't kill babies..." Katie argued.
"You 'ave never zought like zis before. What changed for you to zink zat killing babies was ever somezing zat was acceptable? Is zis ze demon talking?" Fleur inquired, her accent coming out thickly because of her rising emotions.
"What? No… Kurama..."
"Not Kurama Riley… you… the demon inside of you. The demon that you are. Is that who's causing you to think like this? Cause the Riley I know would never even consider harming children, let alone babies… it doesn't matter what they are. Look at the Diclonius children… the researchers at that institute thought they were monsters… but you didn't kill them… you rescued them all. I've been down to Hashirama's Orphanage… I've seen how happy those children are. They have a chance at happiness because of your actions. Why is this any different? Why are these children a threat that needs to die, while the Diclonius were worth saving?" Katie cut her off.
"It's because unlike the Diclonius children… children with the Rinnegan could actually truly harm her… or… more likely… the demon inside." Luna guessed.
Riley looked taken aback. She felt confusion wash over. She remembered when Naruko had asked about those children… she had remembered the hurt and worried look on Naruko's face when Riley said that she'd either kill them if they were young enough or if not, she would just kill the mother's and take the children. Riley remembered feeling how much despair Naruko felt when she heard that… but Riley hadn't cared. She hadn't even really thought about it… what would she have done, if she found the children? She would have killed them. Ended the threat they posed… right then and there. But… why? Did she truly think these babies were a threat to her? Was that why her first instinct… her first demonic instinct was to kill them.
Riley's mates watched as Riley ran her hands over her head and let out a growl of frustration. She looked like she was having a severe migraine.
"Luna's right… isn't she Kurama?" Riley though to her demonic companion.
"Probably. I told you long ago that over time you would lose that way of thinking. You spend months away from your mates, alone with just me, or Hashirama, or Madara in Kamui. The less human interaction you have, the less likely you are to think like them. Each passing day… you become more like a demon. Those children are a threat to you. That isn't up for debate. As a demon… our first instinct when it comes to threats..." Kurama replied but Riley finished for him.
"...Is to destroy it. Why didn't you tell me I was slipping? I didn't even realize it was happening." Riley thought back.
"Because… it was my first instinct too." Kurama replied with a sigh.
Riley let out another audible sigh before opening her eyes and focusing on her mates.
"I'm sorry. You're right…. You're right..." Riley shook her head in frustration. She couldn't help feeling ashamed for thinking like that. She had always considered herself a good person. But lately… lately she just seemed to care less and less about the well being of people outside of her friends and lovers.
Riley was quiet for a moment, before she felt arms wrap around her. She soon found herself in the embrace of her mates. It took her a moment before she hugged them back.
"It comes to me so naturally now a days. Just destroy it and it wont bother you any more. But you're right… I would never intentionally harm children. I'm sorry for ever thinking like that..." Riley apologized. She had always held herself to a higher standard. She considered herself an honorable person. There were lines that she wouldn't cross. But… it seems as she aged and became more of a demon… that nobility and honor that she once had… was now slipping away.
"It's alright Riley. We understand. It's why we wanted to talk to you about it. Don't worry… we'll help you. Help you maintain that part of you… that human part..." Katie whispered.
"You may be a demon… but you're still a good person. We'll keep an eye on you… and we'll stop you from slipping." Daphne agreed. Earning nods from Luna and Fleur as they all huddled around their demonic lover… holding her tightly.
While Riley sat in their embrace… she couldn't help but feel something stirring within her. There was a fear present now. She was to the point now where she was thinking like a demon… how long before those thoughts became action? How long before the last part of her humanity slips away, and the only thing that's left is a monster?
-Meanwhile-
Within Riley's subconscious… something was beginning to take form. Something that had so long been an abstract. Something intangible. Kurama felt it's appearance. And while he growled angrily at the thought… he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop it. Facing this new foe… that was Riley's task. He couldn't help her with this. All people had this evil within them. Most kept it at bay… but some like the Jinchuriki… or those like Hashirama and Madara… had so much power that they gave 'it' form. This would be Riley's battle… one that he couldn't help her face.
She had made a choice. Right now… she had chosen to reject a piece of herself. For so long… Riley had been at peace with herself. She had been in tune with her emotions and all the parts of her being. But she was afraid of the demon now. She was afraid of acting like demon… of becoming a true monster. Riley could do terrible things… but she did them for her own reasons. She wasn't chaos for chaos' sake. But she feared becoming that. She was afraid that fear would begin to rule her actions. This was just the first incident. But there would be more. As she grew, that demonic way of thinking… would begin to take hold… and the more she rejected it… the more she gave 'it' shape. One day it would take full form. And when it did… Riley would be forced to face it. Kurama couldn't help her… as much as he wanted too. This was a battle… a war… that only she could fight. He just hoped she'd confront it soon. He hoped she would stand before her rejected parts… and finally understand what they truly meant. Only then… could she and him take the next step… the final step.
Kurama had already decided to bond with Riley… but first… she needed to be at peace with herself. She needed to accept all of her parts. Only then… could the two of them… truly fight as one. But this was Riley's task. So with a huff. Kurama laid down. He allowed himself to drift into a quiet sleep. He knew the coming years would not be easy… but a battle with ones self… rarely was.
In the darkness of Riley's mind… a being began to take shape. This being… was Riley's equal in every way. For it was her. And she it.
-To Be Continued-
Alright theres the next chapter. Sorry for the wait, i've been busy lately. Hope you enjoyed and hopefully with all the exposition out of the way, things can begin to move forward. Christmas is the next chapter, and Riley will be spending it with her loved ones. We'll see Riley interact with all her mates, and even have some fun with Lucy. But in the end… it's all about the changes. Riley's becoming more of a demon. She starting to stop thinking like a human. And her own Yami is starting to form. Kurama can't help her. Only Riley can truly face her own other half. And now that she's finally rejected a piece of herself, Yami is beginning to take form. It'll be up to Riley's mates to keep her from falling over the edge and becoming a full fledged demon in mind and spirit. Over the next few chapter you'll see Riley developing that mindset more and more. She'll begin second guessing herself… and wondering just which part of her is doing the thinking. Look forward to it. And thanks for voting in the poll. JA NE!
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