Chapter 23
Burnt Bridges ( Part 2 )
" W-wow , so that's why Nezha was so obsessed over Arthur and Lancelot being on good terms again . I never knew the Third Lotus Prince had such a painful past . " Pandora said to her companions as they watched the scene below unfold .
Göll nodded her head gently , " Betrayed by his closest friend , betrayed by his father , and then betrayed by heaven . I can't help but feel bad for him . I always thought Nezha was just some kid with a rebellious streak , but I never knew that he had that many demons inside of him . "
Prometheus pursed his lips and folded his arms across his chest , " I agree Göll , but now is not the time to feel sympathy for the opposing side . I've a feeling that even with the loss of his arm , Nezha may still have a few more tricks left up his sleeve . "
Holding onto his spear for support , Nezha eyed Arthur with a mixed look of determination and curiosity
" So tell me , King of Camelot … " He growled , fire igniting on his speartip which he then held up to his bloodied arm stump, sealing it through means of cauterization.
" Tell me … Why … HOW you could find it in your heart to forgive one that traitorous backstabber , why would you let the man who cost you your kingdom back into your life and give him your trust once more ? " As he said this, Nezha suddenly dashed forward , swiping with his spear at Arthur once again.
Dodging this blow , Arthur silently contemplated Nezha's question for a moment as he parried another thrust from Nezha's spear with the flat of his blade , allowing himself to be pushed back a couple of steps , before he finally spoke again .
" Because , Third Lotus Prince , as simply as I can put it , I didn't see the point in hating him anymore . "
Nezha spun his spear as he landed backwards from the recoil on his two feet, an eyebrow raised in confusion at his opponent's answer
" … What ? "
5th Century England , Cornwall
Loud clunking sounds could be heard in a field of tall grass just outside a quaint little village , as two young lads wearing brown leather tunics and crude metal helmets , sparred against one another with their wooden training swords and shields .
The fight continued on for a while , with each boy pushing themselves as much as they could to outdo the other . But after a few more minutes , one of them was finally able to break through the others guard , knocking his foe off balance and to the floor as he pinned him down with his weapon's tip hovering above his partner's chest .
" Ha …. Ha ! Looks like I've won again , Lancelot ! " The boy proudly exclaimed as he removed his helmet , revealing a much younger Arthur , his hair styled in a bowl cut and his face completely unblemished at the time , " What does that make our score currently ? Thirty to Twenty Six ? "
" Thirty ONE to Twenty Six , actually " Came another voice , as Arthur's mentor , the Wizard Merlin appeared in front of the two boys whilst slowly applauding both their efforts in the match .
" Tremendous work from the both of you , " Merlin praised , " Arthur , good to see your skill with the blade is still sharp as ever ! Breaking through your opponent's guard like that is no easy feat for a boy your age . Though as usual , your footwork can be very much improved on , so best work on that , eh ? "
" As for you , Lancelot " He said , turning to face the other lad , who upon removing his helmet was revealed to be a young Lancelot , with his beautiful blonde hair cut much shorter than that of his future self .
" Great job as always , your skills have definitely improved ! Though my advice from last week still stands , you can't keep relying on hiding behind your shield hoping your opponent tires himself out . In sword fighting , you have to take every chance you've got to SEIZE the offensive back into your hands . "
" Yes Merlin , " The two boys nodded earnestly as Arthur helped Lancelot back to his feet .
Merlin chuckled as he stroked his beard , " Haha , well I suppose you two have earned it after such a hard-fought duel . You boys go and have some fun now , but make sure you're back before noon Arthur , we have a lot of catching up to do on your academics . "
Arthur , who was just celebrating with Lancelot on their hard-earned break , groaned at the thought of spending three full hours learning about England's history , proper court etiquette , and anything else the future King would need as an adult .
" Urgggggh ! Do I have to , Merlin ? " The boy pleaded , hoping that he may be able to weasel his way out of class if he looked pitiful enough .
" Come now , Arthur , " Lancelot teased, " The future King of Camelot can't just be all brawn and no brains now , no ? Trust me , these lessons are for the best , for you're already lacking in the latter . "
" Don't rejoice too soon Lancelot , I'm expecting you to be there as well . " Merlin said sternly , causing Arthur to laugh as it was Lancelot's turn now to groan in annoyance .
" Alright , alright , get out of my sight now . Best go enjoy your break now before the lesson begins , and I had better not see either of you be late ! "
At those words , Arthur and Lancelot quickly said their goodbyes to the wizard before rushing off into the woods near their village .
" Bollocks ! " Arthur cursed as he threw rocks into a small rivulet while Lancelot practiced his sword fighting by the side with a fallen branch , " I was really hoping that our fight was impressive enough to make Merlin forget about our class ! "
" Well you know how much of a memory the old codger had , " Lancelot joked as he mimed a thrust at an imaginary foe , " Plus it's all for your own good innit ? England's prophesied king can't just be some halfwit swordsman eh ? "
" I know , I know , " Arthur sighed in defeat , " Can't blame a guy for complaining though ? All this training and mentoring , what if it's all just wasted on me in the end ? "
" C'mon Arthur ! " His friend laughed , " You're one of the best sword fighters I know ! Plus you're starting to get better in your academics . I mean you've finally stopped mixing up Avalon and Albion in Merlin's test last week ! "
Arthur snorted as he flung another pebble into the water , " Yeah , yeah I know , you guys wouldn't stop giving me grief about it so I HAD to memorize that in order to shut you up . "
Lancelot smiled and gave his friend a pat on the back , " Whatever happens Arthur , just know that me and Merlin will always be by your side ! Ready to support you till the end ! "
With a small smile on his face , Arthur bumped fist with his friend , " Thanks Lancelot , that means a lot to me . "
" As do I Arthur , " Lancelot replied ,"Oh and by the way ,I've been thinking up this new sword design and I wanted to hear your input on it if you don't mind ? "
Arthur sighed , Lancelot seemed to always be coming up with some crazy new sword technique or design he wanted to try out every other day of the week , most of the time they were either way too flashy and ridiculous , or just outright impractical in combat .
" Go ahead , " He replied , " At this point you've come up with so many crazy ideas that I don't think I'd even be surprised in the slightest if you tried convincing me to use a stick in battle .
" Ha ha , very funny , " Lancelot smirked , " Anyway , so I'm thinking , what if there was a sword that had its blade split right down the middle into two separate parts with a gap in between . Stay with me now ! And from within that gap it is able to shoot ….. ARROWS ! "
Arthur simply stared at his friend for a minute or two , eyebrows raised as he tried to process this information . Before finally opening his mouth to respond .
" AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ! WHAT ? Lancelot do you even HEAR yourself ? HAHAHAHAHA ! "
His friend rolled his eyes , " Come on , you know it'll work . "
" Hehehe ! Yeah sure I'd bet ! As long as someone is strong enough to even carry the sword with all the mechanisms inside used to shoot the arrows . And properly aim and fire it at their opponents ! Seriously Lancelot this has to be simultaneously the coolest and worst design you've come up with yet ! "
Lancelot sighed as he shook his head , " Yeah , I guess my idea could do with a bit of workshopping . "
" It doesn't need workshopping , it needs magic and a miracle to work ! Hahahahaha ! "
" Well alright then , if you're such a smart arse , you would've realized it's almost time for Merlin's class ! Better start hurrying back ! Last one there has to be the other one's training dummy for the next week ! "
With that Lancelot dashed off hooting with laughter , leaving Arthur behind .
" Aw what ? You PRICK ! That's not fair ! " Arthur roared in amusement as he chased after the cackling Lancelot , the two friends racing with each other to be the first back to the village .
Westminster , London , a few years later
Hundreds of knights and noblemen were all gathered together in a humble little churchyard , yelling and cursing as they shoved one another aside , each of them vying to be the first in line to a large erected stone at the very center of the churchyard .
What was so special about this stone , that so many of the most powerful men in all of England were desperate to be the first to reach it you may ask ?
The reason was none other than the simple anvil placed at the very top of the mound , and stuck in that anvil was a sword , but not just any sword . On its blade was inscribed the very words , " Whoso pulleth out this sword from the stone , is right wise king born of all England . "
" Right outta my way you orrible lot ! " A rotund knight clad in crimson red armor hollered as he pushed his way through , much to the protest of his competitors , " I shall be the one to pull the mighty sword Caliburn from its place in the stone ! And become the rightful King of England ! "
With that , the knight clasped the hilt of Caliburn and with a grunt of effort , began tugging away with all his might . Sweat dripped from his forehead , and the veins on his forehead almost popped , but try as he might , the knight simply could not move the sword from its original position even a little bit .
" Maybe you just don't have enough CORE strength , Sir Liverlard ! " A member of the audience witnessing the first knight's humiliation mockingly called out .
Cursing and mumbling , the red knight finally left his stand , allowing the others to have a go .
Soon enough , the entire churchyard was filled with the sounds of men grunting and heaving , as every last one of the potential candidates for England's throne all tried with all their might to yank the blade out from the anvil . Yet no matter how hard they pulled , or how they positioned their arm or technique , the sword simply refused to budge for anyone but its rightful owner .
" Forget it ! " A nobleman roared , his fine robes and tunics all drenched in sweat from his go at the sword , " Clearly this sword is faulty , if none of the hundreds of men gathered here is England's chosen king ! I say we should settle the matter of the crown through a good old fashioned tournament ! "
All gathered nodded and murmured their agreement , they much preferred their chances in a tournament of their swordsmanship and skill , as compared to leaving the decision up the a clearly defect sword .
However , before the gathered crowd could even begin discussing how this tournament of theirs would be carried out , a young man's loud voice cut through the air .
" HOLD IT ! My friend here hasn't had his turn ! "
All heads turned to see who had dared interrupt them so rudely , what they saw was two young adolescents , perhaps in just entering their twenties , making their way through the crowd that began parting for them .
" Scuse me , sorry . " Lancelot said as he helped push through the crowds of onlookers to make way for his friend .
Arthur on the other hand , was much more cautious and anxious , nervously eyeing the crowd . Many of whom were giving him and Lancelot the stink eye after the latter's bold interjection .
After a few awkward seconds , the two boys had made their way to the center of the churchyard, just in front of the stone . But before they could reach the stone itself , they found their path blocked by the red knight and the sweaty noblemen .
" Well , well ! What have we here ? " The red knight said with a leer , " You two wee lads don't belong ere ! As if any of YOU could be England's destined king ! So why not run along and save yourself the humiliation ? "
Lancelot stood defiantly facing the two taller men , " The prophecy never stated that it had to be a geezer who inherited the throne , so my friend here has JUST as much right to have a go at trying his luck ! Especially if they let a fatso like you have the first attempt . "
The red knight's face now matched the color of his armor as the sweaty nobleman narrowed his eyes in confusion .
" Your friend ? " He asked , looking at Arthur who winced at having the spotlight brought down upon him , " Surely you don't mean that anxious little fool behind you ? He hardly LOOKS the part ! Don't you want your turn at the sword ? You at the very least look the part … "
Lancelot smirked , " I don't need a turn , the sword will budge for me as much as it budge for all of you . But I KNOW that my friend Arthur here can pull Caliburn from the stone as easily as can be ! IN FACT ! He could probably do it with just ONE hand . "
Loud rambunctious laughter erupted throughout the churchyard , as knights and noblemen alike held onto each other for support , hollering in amusement whilst pointing at Arthur . Hardly able to imagine him being able to pull the sword from the stone , much less be the destined King of England .
Lancelot merely rolled his eyes and scoffed before turning around to face Arthur , who was practically hyperventilating at this point as he tried to steel his nerves .
" It's all on you now mate , " Lancelot said as he patted Arthur's shoulder encouragingly .
" Gee thanks , now I'm twice as nervous about this than before . " Arthur mumbled as he slowly began walking over .
" Now's not the time to get cold feet Arthur , " Lancelot smirked as he rolled his eyes , " Just believe in yourself , like me and Merlin already do . "
With that , he gently pushed Arthur forward , towards the stone , towards the sword , and towards his destiny .
The crowd went silent as Arthur approached Caliburn , the young man's arms shook as he reached out and grabbed the hilt . To Arthur's surprise , the handle fit snugly in his grip , with a sudden warmth seeming to envelope his entire body as he planted one foot on top of the stone . Almost as though the sword knew the person holding it was the one it had been waiting for .
Cold sweat dripped from Arthur's forehead as he steadied his breathing , muscles tensing up as he tightened his grip around Caliburn's hilt .
As Arthur stood still for a moment , Merlin's teachings and training throughout the years flooded through his mind . All the effort the wizard had put in to ensure he was prepared to ascend to the throne , all the fatherly care he had provided to ensure Arthur grew up as the best he could ever be .
And then there was Lancelot , his childhood friend . The one who had always been by his side , enduring boring lessons from Merlin , or sparing with their wooden swords till their bones cracked and their muscles ached . Laughing by that small creek , as they promised to always support each other through thick and thin .
Merlin and Lancelot , the ones who had always been by his side . The ones who believed in him through and through , even if he didn't at times … How could he ever dream of letting them down ? It was finally time for Arthur to meet his destiny and fulfill the prophecy that was so long ago foretold …
" SLINK ! "
In a single fluid motion , Arthur slid the sword out from its resting place . So smooth and seamless was his pull , that the stone holding on to the sword may have very well just been a block of butter !
The crowd gasped in shock , it wasn't possible ! That boy … How was it that knights older , stronger , more experienced than him failed to even move the sword an inch , yet he was able to pull it out so easily ? Could he truly be the Englands prophesied king ?
" This can't be ! " The sweaty nobleman roared in outrage , " This … Child , cannot be England's next king ! It ….. It's just absurd ! "
" Yeah ! That damned sword's probably broken or something ! That kid doesn't deserve to be king , it was probably a fluke ! I say we take it from him and whoever wins our tournament gets it and the position ! " The red knight yelled angrily , a few other knights sharing his rage as they all stepped forward .
The crowd slowly stepped forward murmuring with anger and discontent , pushing past Lancelot who protested loudly at their decision , but he was simply ignored . "
Arthur's eyes narrowed as he gripped onto Caliburn's hilt , getting into a fighting stance as he prepared to fight for his birthright . When all of a sudden , a blue mist materialized by his side , shocking the crowd as a small explosion was produced , revealing Merlin in all his glory .
" Stay your hands , Knights of England , " The wizard spoke in a loud echoing voice , his magical aura intimidating the advancing knights so much that they all fell to their knees in shock .
" This boy is none other than Arthur Pendragon , son of our former king Uther Pendragon , the very man who left this blade inside that stone . It is his divine right and destiny to claim it ! And as subjects of the king , we shall all pledge our allegiance to him ! "
The crowd gasped in shocks and reverence , all anger lost as they looked at Arthur in a new light .
This young lad was the son of Uther Pendragon ? Why , they had expected a person of his lineage to be dressed in shining armor and expensive robes like the rest of them ! Not in a simple leather tunic as though he were a peasant ! However , not wanting to incur Merlin's anger , they chose to stay silent .
Sensing the crowd's discontent , Merlin turned to Arthur , bowing to the new king and motioning for him to address the crowd .
As he stepped forward , Arthur felt his legs starting to shake again , who was he to address some of the most powerful and influential men in all of England ? He may have been the son of the former king , but he had been raised as a mere peasant in a small village , not as a man of high status in the royal court .
But as Arthur stared into the crowd , he saw Lancelot , a wide smile spread across his face as he saw his best friend . Now a king , finally ascending to his destined position and standing strong above the rest of them .
Glancing back , Arthur saw Merlin , face beaming with pride as he watched the boy he raised from a young age finally become the man he was always meant to be .
Once again Arthur's mind called to him , banishing any nervousness or insecurity within , as he asked himself the same question as before , how could he ever dream of letting the two of them down ?
With one final deep breath , Arthur turned to address the crowd,
" P-people of England , " He said shakily at first , " I know that as I stand before you all now , dressed in my simple robes , I may not appear to be the king you wanted , and perhaps … I never will be . "
The muttering of the crowds grew louder as they continued watching Arthur with their penetrating gaze.
" But I hope , no , I KNOW ! " Arthur's voice now seemed louder , his tone more confident as he took a step forward , " That in time , I will be the king that England needs ! I will prove that this sword chose me , not because of my families' name , not because I am some child of destiny . But rather because of my own skill and merit ! So I swear to you , on my name , this sword and my honor ! That under my leadership , England shall enter a new golden age ! More prosperous than anything any of you have ever seen ! And should I fail , or there be anyone who thinks I am not up to the task … "
Arthur held Caliburn high above his head with both hands , a beam of sunlight catching on its blade , giving it a shining almost magical glint . The crowd drew their breath in awe , before he swung his hand downwards and held the sword by its pommel in between his legs . The young king slowly moved his gaze upwards , meeting their wide eyes and open mouths with a look of steely resolve.
" Then you are MORE than welcomed to come and challenge me for my throne ! And I shall be there , ready to meet you ! With a sharpened BLADE and a sharpened MIND ! "
As he finished his speech , the entire churchyard exploded into cheers and applause , perhaps Merlin had cast a spell on them , perhaps the heat from the sunlight had made them woozy . But most likely of all and without a doubt , the sheer confidence and vigor this young man carried himself with had infected them all , even the Red Knight and the Sweaty Noblemen themselves had been swept up in the excitement , and were pumping their fist as they roared Arthur's praise .
The crowd then fell on their knees once again , though this time it was not out of fear . Instead they all bowed their heads towards their new king as a sign of respect , no doubt symbolizing the beginning of a wondrous new age for their country under his rule .
Arthur managed a smile as he surveyed his new subjects , that speech had taken a toll on him but he couldn't afford to show weakness now . Turning to his mentor , he saw Merlin wearing a proud grin as he lowered his upper body in a bow to his new king , and was that the glimmer of a teardrop he saw in the wizard's purple eyes ? He would definitely be teasing Merlin about that later of course .
Turning back towards the crowd , Arthur saw Lancelot at the very front , his best friend's head was also lowered in reverence to his new king as he knelt , but soon , the young man lifted his head and locked eyes with the young king , a wide grin on his face as he gazed upwards in pride .
Arthur smiled as the two of them nodded their heads , a look of understanding shared between them. As long as he had Lancelot and Merlin by his side , Arthur felt like there was nothing he could not achieve .
( Present Day )
" Sounds like he was a great friend whilst it lasted , " Nezha said somberly , " By the way , what happened to Caliburn ? Last I checked your sword was called Excalibur . "
Arthur rubbed the back of his head with a bashful look , " Oh … Heh , so funny story , I accidentally broke it a few days after I became king … "
Nezha deadpanned , " Seriously ? "
" Very much so , yes , " Arthur chuckled , " Caliburn's blade shattered during a friendly duel with Lancelot after a rather clumsy mistake on my part , and I had no choice but to seek out a replacement in the form of Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake . Dreadfully embarrassing stuff , but thankfully most of my subjects found the humorous side of it .
" Funny , " Nezha snickered before his face morphed back to seriousness , " But of course there was the infamous betrayal , am I right , King Arthur ? "
Arthur sighed again , " Indeed , Third Lotus Prince , indeed . Though it is not a memory I wish to recount , since you're so eager to hear it , then I shall tell it to you . I can only hope my story can help quell that fire within your soul … "
The Kingdom of Camelot, Arthur's Castle
Footsteps and whistling echoed throughout the hallway as Lancelot made his way through the castle's corridors , the young man , now a honored Knight of the Round Table and one of Arthur's closest friend and advisor was dressed in his silver and white armor , his long blonde hair tousled and untidy yet he still was able to look as handsome as ever .
Reaching the double doors of the throne room, Lancelot gave a few casual raps on the wooden material before proceeding to let himself in.
" Your most magnanimous majesty ! " He called out in a casual and humorous tone , " To what urgent matter do you need my humble assistance for ? "
However, the humor in his tone was soon lost , as Lancelot realized something amiss in the throne room , that being the lack of other human beings inside the room .
On days where he was holding court for visiting nobles or subjects , Arthur's throne room would be a vibrant place , filled with lights and laughter as they all shared tales and drinks with one another . Meanwhile two row guards would be standing vigilantly by either side of the room , trying their utmost best to remain professional despite their own king's lax attitude towards the standard procedures .
In stark contrast , the throne room now was barren of any life save for Lancelot at the back , and Arthur at the pedestal where his throne was located . The king stood with his back turned towards Lancelot , shrouded mostly in darkness save for the dim light cast by a few candles that were already halfway melted . The sudden change in ambience caused a slight shiver to go up Lancelot's spine , but nevertheless he took a step forward and addressed his king again .
" Y-your majesty , is everything alright ? " The knight asked tentatively as he made his way over to the throne .
" Do you know why I called you here Lancelot ? "
Lancelot froze , never before had he heard his best friend's voice so cold and spiteful , something definitely was wrong , could it be ? No , there was no way he could have found out , they had ensured only to meet in secret whilst no one else watched !
" N-no , I do not , " He answered shakily , a trickle of sweat running down his forehead .
It was only then did Arthur turn , an unreadable expression upon his bearded face , with a dark shadow cast over his eyes . The king's hand rested heavily on Excalibur's pommel as his eyes seemed to stare daggers into Lancelot's soul , something was definitely wrong here , Lancelot had never seen the usually jolly and care-free Arthur ever look so mad and spiteful.
" Indeed ? " Arthur replied , walking slowly to the other side as he inspected his gloved hand , a dangerous aura seemed to follow him which made Lancelot even more nervous , " And you are certain you don't have anything of great importance or secrecy to tell me ? After all we have been friends since childhood , I would think that I could handle even your darkest secret . "
" M-my King ? " Lancelot stuttered , any confidence of charm he previously had now completely gone , " I'm not sure I follow ? "
Suddenly Arthur seemingly flew into a rage , as he grabbed a candle stand with his hand and flung it to the floor , the ornament smashing into pieces with a loud , " CRASH ! " Causing Lancelot to flinch at his friend's outburst.
" Still you lie ? " Arthur snarled , " To think I once trusted you with all my heart and soul Lancelot ! Perhaps I need to spell it out for you to help jog your memory ? If so , I have only ONE thing to say to you ! G-U-I-N-E-V-E-R-E ! "
Lancelot's face was now so pale it matched the color of his armor , Guinevere was the Queen of England and wife of Arthur, her beauty unmatched in all the land. And it was because of that beauty , did she and Lancelot begin a passionate love affair behind Arthur's back .
It was just small flirtatious remarks and secretive winks at first , but Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship very soon evolved into something much more than that , with both of them meeting privately under the cover of darkness where they got much more intimate than they let on to be in public .
Although he felt awful for betraying his king by doing something like this behind Arthur's back , Lancelot's lust and Guinevere's charm led him to continue keeping this dark secret from his best friend , foolishly hoping that the king would never find out about it .
" A-arthur … I … I "
" It's funny isn't it ? " Arthur interrupted spitefully , " To think that my own wife and the person who claimed to have my back from the very start , would sneak around behind my back , doing … THIS ! What's the saying Lancelot ? The worst thing about betrayal is that it doesn't come from the ENEMY ! "
With that, Arthur screamed a battlecry as he held Excalibur aloft , charging towards Lancelot with murderous intent . The latter's eyes widened as he just barely managed to draw his own sword to parry the blow , and with that , the two former friends engaged in a savage battle .
" All those years whilst you were courting my wife behind my back , did you ever feel any sort of regret or shame ? " Arthur roared as he swung a heavy blow , sending Lancelot flying backwards from the sheer strength of his swing .
" I … " Lancelot started , but he was immediately interrupted by another brutal attack from Arthur , who in his rage-filled frenzy , had abandoned all sense of calm and order . The King of Camelot's attacks had no technique , just pure barbaric rage as he charged forth with his blade swinging wildly .
Lancelot barely had time to duck and roll to the side before Excalibur's blade came crashing down at the spot where his head was a moment before , in all his years of serving under Arthur , he had never seen his friend fight with such viciousness and savagery .
" Arthur , PLEASE ! Just stop and let's talk like reasonable people ! " He desperately pleaded as the King of Camelot advanced upon him .
" Talk ? What is there to talk about ? " Arthur replied , " I thought you were my FRIEND ! And then you go and pull this sort of STUNT behind my back ? You two-faced BASTARD ! I so desperately hoped that Mordred was lying to spread discord when he told me about your affair , but now I see that even HIS words hold more truth than yours ! "
" M-mordred ? "
Mordred was another one of Arthur's Knights of the Round table , but unlike his fellow knights , who earned their spot at the table through honorable and heroic deeds . He had earned his through his vast amounts of strength and power alone . As such , he was known as the most cunning and ruthless member of the round table , with many other knights disliking him greatly or just tolerating him at best .
" Mordred indeed ! He came to me reporting your betrayal and my wife's infidelity ! And to think that it was he of all people to do so ! Goes to show just how much I've misjudged the both of you ! "
" W-wait Arthur ! " Lancelot tried reasoning with the king once again , " I know what I did was wrong ! And yes I admit to my wrongdoings ! But you can't trust Mordred ! His every move always has some sort of ulterior motive behind it ! "
" Oh isn't THAT rich ! Especially since it's coming from the likes of YOU ! " Arthur roared as he suddenly charged with Excalibur raised above his head .
" Arthur NO ! " Lancelot cried as he instinctively swung his own sword upwards to parry the king's strike . However , due to his current rageful state and poor form , Arthur's guard was non-existent , and as Lancelot's blade flew upwards , a gush of blood spilled from across Arthur's face , as the cold hard steel grazed his flesh .
" ARGH ! GOD DAMN IT ! " Arthur howled as he stumbled backwards , holding his hands over his face and dying his gloves crimson with blood .
" Arthur ! Oh god ! Are you alright ? " Lancelot cried out as he rushed to help the king .
" STAY BACK ! " Arthur snarled , causing Lancelot to back away , the King of Camelot removed his hands from his face . Revealing the bloody scar that now ran from his right cheek to his forehead , the gruesome wound that he had inflicted upon his own friend caused Lancelot to retch , disgusted not only by the scar , but by his own actions as well .
" You bloody BASTARD ! " Arthur growled as he picked Excalibur up from the ground next to him , " I'll KILL YOU ! "
But before Arthur could charge at the stunned Lancelot , a beam of blue light pulsed throughout the room , causing them to momentarily shield their eyes . And the next thing either of them knew , Merlin had appeared in front of Arthur , his hands outstretched , preventing Arthur from moving any further towards Lancelot .
" ARTHUR ! Seize this rage-filled foolishness ! " The wizard commanded loudly , hearing his mentor's words seem to calm Arthur down enough to stop and listen , " I know your anger is justified , but we have MUCH more pressing issues at the moment ! "
" What ? " Arthur barely had enough time to say anything , before the throne room's double doors burst open , and an armored guard came rushing in , huffing and puffing loudly .
" Your majesty ! I bring terrible news ! Sir Mordred has amassed an army of his own with the help of your step-sister Morgan Le Fay ! And the two of them are leading an attack on Camelot right now in an attempt to take your throne ! We need you on the front lines IMMEDIATELY to lead the troops !
Arthur's eyes widened in a mixture of anger , fear and disbelief , " Bollocks … Mordred that treacherous LEECH ! He used Lancelot and Gunievere's love affair as a distraction ! Fuck … Tell the men to hold the fort as long as they can ! I shall be there to assist them as fast as I can ! "
" Understood ! " The guard replied , before turning and exiting the room .
" Goddammit … " Arthur cursed as he rubbed the temples of his forehead in frustration with his eyes closed .
" W-what should I do ? "
Arthur's eyes snapped open as he and Merlin turned to glare at Lancelot who had just spoken .
" Do ? Whatever do you mean by that Lancelot ? " Merlin said spitefully with a look filled with disappointment and disdain , " You've betrayed the trust of your own king by sharing his queen's bed , and by extension betrayed the very kingdom you swore to serve . I think you've done more than enough damage , no ? "
Lancelot felt like he was melting under the steely gaze of his former friend and mentor , his mouth opened and closed immediately afterwards, as he tried and failed to come up with a proper response .
" I-I'm sorry … I'm … So … So sorry . " Was all the disgraced knight could manage as he hung his head in shame .
" You're sorry ? " Arthur suddenly spoke up , " A bit too late for that now don't you think , Lancelot ? But since you're SO sorry for what you've done , here's one thing you can do to even BEGIN, trying to make amends . "
Lancelot looked up hopefully , but felt his soul plunge into his stomach once more as Arthur's bloodied and spite filled face leaned towards him and spoke the following words with resentment and hatred ,
" Leave , flee , run away , and take that filthy harlot along with you too . I NEVER want to see either of your miserable faces near my very presence EVER again . "
Lancelot's face paled once again , the knight stood still for a moment or two before he finally regained control of his senses .
" A-as you wish , my king … "
With that , Lancelot turned and ran , as fast as his legs could carry him . Out of the throne room , out of the castle and out of Camelot . Away from his former life , and away from his former friend who now hated him with every fiber of his being .
Once Lancelot had left , Merlin turned to Arthur , expecting his protege to let his emotions go now that they were alone . Instead , Arthur was beginning to fasten his armor and was in the process of wiping the blood off his face , as he prepared for his battle against Mordred and Morgan Le Fay .
" A-arthur ? Are you alright my boy ? " The wizard asked gently , hoping to provide some level of comfort to the king .
However , Arthur did not return his mentor's concerned gaze , all he did in response was simply pick up Excalibur and testing it's tip to ensure it was still sharp , before beginning to walk towards the doors which Lancelot had just left through .
" I'm fine Merlin , " He replied in a monotone voice , " Now if you excuse me , I have a war to win . "
Merlin pursed his lips tightly , before sighing and giving Arthur a slight bow , " As you wish , my king . "
As Arthur prepared to exit the room , he suddenly felt that something was amiss about his current attire , yet he just could not put his finger on it . So the King of Camelot began to pat the sides of his pants , before finally realizing what was missing .
" Merlin … " He said with a slightly frantic tone , as he turned back towards his mentor in a panic , " Have you seen Excalibur's sheath ? "
Merlin now felt his own face pale , as a trickle of sweat dropped from his forehead , " I-I thought you had it with you ? I did tell you to keep it by your side at all times ! "
Arthur grimaced as he realized the horrible predicament that he was now in . His troops were currently struggling to fend off invaders without his leadership , he had just chased his strongest knight out of the kingdom for their betrayal , and he currently did not have the magical healing powers of Excalibur's sheath by his side … There was only one word that Arthur could use to sum up all his feelings right now .
" Bollocks … "
( Present Day )
" Wait , wait , lemme guess . Because you didn't have Excalibur's sheath with you at the time , You were gravely injured during your fight with Mordred , and died from your wounds afterwards . Am I correct ? " Nezha finished .
" That is the gist of it, yes . " Arthur replied with a simple shrug .
" Damn , my condolences , anyway lemme make a wild guess again . Once you entered Valhalla you sought out Lancelot , had a little heart to heart , and somehow managed to get over your animosity towards each other and became the best of friends once more. Did I get THAT part correct as well ? "
Arthur chuckled softly as he shook his head , " Nope , you didn't … Far from it actually … Like you , I still held on to my hatred and resentment for Lancelot back then , so the moment I entered Valhalla , the only thing I could think about whilst I was first there was finding him and making him pay . "
" W-what ? " Nezha gaped , that was an answer he definitely did not expect to hear come out from Arthur's mouth .
" Indeed , for so many centuries , I sought Lancelot out , challenging him to duel after duel , each more vicious and deadly than the last . Sometimes I still can hear the deafening sounds of our fights if I close my eyes and listen carefully , but despite our countless battles , neither of us were able to strike that killing blow .
" S-so what happened next ? " Nezha asked now very much enthralled in Arthur's tale ,
" Well one fateful day , I finally got the upper hand , I managed to disarm Lancelot and finally had my sword pointed at his throat . At that moment , I could have finally gotten my revenge , I could finally make him properly pay for the great betrayal he had committed against me … "
Nezha leaned forward , completely enthralled in Arthur's tale and anxious to hear what was next .
" But I didn't … "
Somewhere in Valhalla , a century or so prior
" GAH ! " Lancelot cried as his sword was sent spiraling out of his palm , the knight barely had time to hold his injured arm before he was roughly knocked down to the ground by Arthur with a blow to the chest . Leaving the knight gasping for breath as he lay on the floor .
He quickly caught his breath however, when the tip of Excalibur loomed in front of his chest , causing him to hold his breath . Looking up he saw Arthur , multiple cuts adorned his chainmail armor as blood stained his vest , the King of Camelot was also struggling to catch his breath , but his eyes were filled with determination and anger as he moved his sword tip closer to Lancelot's flesh .
" Well ? " Lancelot said as he coughed up blood whilst tilting his head to look upwards at the sky , his armor badly dented and his face bruised and battered , " Looks like you finally got me in the end , eh Arthur ? Guess even after all these years , I just could never grasp Merlin's advice on seizing the offensive . Ah … You know , I'm actually alright with going out like this … "
Arthur did not respond , but his eyes narrowed in confusion as Lancelot continued to speak .
" These fights have been going on for what ? a few centuries or so ? Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if it had already been a millennia since we first started this . " Lancelot momentarily paused to cough , causing drops of blood to speckle the front of his armor .
" At first , I absolutely dreaded these fights , having to face you countless times in battle after all I've done to you ? Fighting desperately to keep my place in the afterlife ? Even though we're in heaven , it felt like fate was punishing me with my own personal hell … But to be honest … "
Arthur tensed as Lancelot shifted till he was resting on his elbows , but still the King of Camelot did not yet strike the killing blow .
" After the thousandth battle , when the intensity and bloodlust of our fights died down , I honestly started looking forward to them … After all , eternity in Heaven gets boring if there's no one to talk to , and these clashes we've been having for the past hundreds of years … Well it's just … Reminded me of the good old days when we were young and carefree … Everything we used to have before I ruined it all with my stupidity …"
Silent tears began flowing down Lancelot's eyes as he finally looked up at his former friend , " So if this is how my story must end , then I cannot ask for a more fitting way to atone for my sins , to die by your hands after all the wrongs I have committed against you … I only hope that my death can quell the fire in your heart , but know this Arthur … "
Lancelot wiped the tears from his eyes , before calmly looking up at his former friend with a look of sincerity ,
" I am … Truly sorry … For all that I have done to you . "
With that , Lancelot closed his eyes , awaiting for Arthur to deliver the blow that would erase him from this plain of existence . Yet … As he lay there on the hard ground , waiting and waiting , the blow never came …
Lancelot opened his eyes confused , above him stood Arthur , his face was cold and expressionless . Yet the hand which held Excalibur above his former friend's throat shook slightly , as the King of Camelot seemed to struggle to deliver that final strike .
" What are you waiting for ? " Lancelot asked incredulously , " Isn't this what you've always wanted ? "
Then to Lancelot's further surprise , Arthur slowly backed away from him , taking Excalibur's point off the knight's neck and gazing at his own reflection on the flat of the sword's blade , contemplating what he had nearly done .
Slowly shaking his head , Arthur turned back at his former friend , the fires of hate and righteous fury that once burnt bright inside now gone , replaced by a small hint of melancholy as he spoke softly ,
" No … It's not … At least not anymore … Killing you … It won't change anything … "
After saying this , Arthur shakily sheathed Excalibur , before turning and walking away , leaving Lancelot incredibly confused . But just before he disappeared from sight , Arthur paused , he and Lancelot completely still for a moment before the King spoke his final words .
" Though I choose to spare you today … That does not mean I've forgiven you for your sins Lancelot … But perhaps one day … I hope … That I can … "
With that , Arthur left the battlefield , leaving Lancelot lying on the ground alone and confused for a long while even though his opponent was already gone .
( Present Day )
" I-I don't get it ! " Nezha spluttered , " You had him at your mercy ! You could have ended it right there and then and made him pay ! S-so … Why did you spare him ? "
" Even after my story you still do not understand , Third Lotus Prince ? " Arthur replied in a disappointed tone , " I forgave Lancelot for a simple reason , that reason being that I no longer wished to plague myself with such pointless negativity . I have resided here in Heaven for so many years , yet I chose to waste the first few centuries I had living in paradise , engaging in pointless violence over a matter that could not be changed no matter how much blood was spilled . Was that what I truly wanted ? "
" I too understand how hard it is to find it in yourself to forgive , and that the journey to do so can be long and uncertain . I mean it took centuries just for me to do that myself ! But if I had continued to curse Lancelot's memory as you did Ao Bing for so long , what good would it do ? I do not deny , to feel anger after what has happened to you , it is natural , good even ! But it too is never a good idea to suppress that anger and keep it bottled up , for if you do not let that rage out to subside , if you choose to let the flames continue to fester and burn , the only person who will suffer in the end is yourself . So tell me Third Lotus Prince … "
Arthur swung Excalibur around and held his arm straight , pointing the sword point towards a stunned Nezha . A blue aura seemed to shine around the King of Camelot as his face brimmed with determination and resolve ,
" In a battle where a god like yourself can die , if this truly be the battle where you might lose your life. Are mistrust and resentment really the emotions you wish to burn out on ? Is surrounding yourself with shallow meaningless relationships truly the key to ending your torment ? Or do you wish for something better ? That is my final say to you , Nezha , and I truly hope you can reach the answer that will satisfy you once and for all , before it is far too late . "
So... Hi, I'm finally back after so long! Been busy with schoolwork and just my terrible habit of procrastination and poor time management XD. There was also the fact that I rewrote this chapter as I thought the original pacing wasn't great, and while I can't promise for sure that such a long wait won't happen again, I will try my best to not set a new record for longest I've taken to write a chapter lol ...
Few more things before I end off this chapter. Firstly after 23 chapters, I will finally do something about my poor punctuation skills and stop adding an extra spacing between them and my words! So sorry to anyone who found it hard to read my fic because of that XD
Secondly, big thanks to Craftex101, writer of Record of Ragnarok Pandora, and one of the folks I plaga-I mean BORROWED 'heh, heh' ideas from for my own fanfic. Who was kind enough to give me constructive criticism about my writing and story-telling skills, he a real chad and you all should give his fic a shot if you haven't already cause it just IS that good.
Anyways, that's it from me for this chapter, unfortunately round 3 will probably still have 2 more chapters before it concludes. But little spoiler, another hidden fighter will be fighting in round 4, so you can look foward to that I suppose! See you next time! Bye!