Alright everybody shits about to hit the fan. I hope everyone is enjoying themselves, and I hope you all are keeping safe and keeping your sanity in these crazy times. I know I'm struggling with boredom, and if you are too, I hope this chapter may help alleviate it for a short while. Anyway, here we go, if you have any questions, please ask, I always try to answer whenever I see them.
Broken Angel: Rising Demon
Chapter 18: Magic's Rise.
-Wizengamot Chambers, London. August 10th 1999-
Panic. That was the general mood of the chamber as the various lords and ladies tried to discuss the events of the recent attack.
A major difficulty occurred in their attempts when someone let slip that the ICW was calling, demanding answers for what happened. Now everyone was panicking as it quickly dawned on the masses that the secret was out. All of London now knew that magic existed, and while it wouldn't be confirmed for several hours, many worried that awareness of the events spread far beyond the borders of England.
The Statute of Secrecy had broken. Everyone knew it, everyone knew the jig was up. Not only was the truth now out there for everyone to see, but Britain was a disaster zone. Millennium had launched a simultaneous attack alongside countless hidden infiltrators all over the nation. These infiltrators sabotaged and attacked military bases, assassinated government officials, and generally caused all sorts of havoc to prevent any aid from rallying to come to London's defense.
Word had reached them already from the Legion that the royal family had been killed, butchered in the moments leading up to the attack, when communications had been cut.
It quickly dawned on the Wizengamot as more information poured in that the country was now in a state of total collapse, and they were quite possibly the only higher form of government left in the nation.
Calls immediately went out for Riley to revive those that had been killed, to which she sorrowfully explained to those gathered that her revival technique requires that a person's soul be in limbo between the earth and the afterlife. She couldn't revive people once they'd passed on, and she also couldn't revive those that had, had their souls stolen. Daphne explained to them all that having a vampire drink your blood entirely, meant that it also claimed your soul.
Riley simply could not revive them. Some even asked if it was possibly to revive the killers responsible and then somehow remove the souls from them. Riley offered that while that was an interesting possibility, such a thing would only really work if the soul was being held for some reason within the entity. For example, if a soul were to be locked away in the vampire's body, then yes, it was possible to revive said vampire and use soul magic to remove said soul and then revive it. However, the Millennium vampires were not overly skilled in magic, and most likely had no way of controlling what happened to the souls they devoured. With absolute certainty, Riley expressed her belief that those that lost their souls to the vampires, had resulted in those souls being consumed. Those people weren't just dead, they were gone. Completely gone.
Her explanation and the revelation that many of the fallen weren't even at rest, deeply soured everyone's mood and brought an almost overwhelming aura of sorrow and despair into the room.
It was well into the afternoon when word reached the chamber that the city had been fully secured and the Legion, Aurors, local military, and police were now keeping the peace and keeping things orderly.
Itachi was busily working with the Round Table to restore some semblance of order to the city. Luckily many members of the Round Table were military men, with strong ties to various sectors of the English armed forces.
This meant that while the rank and file soldiers were naturally uncertain when dealing with the aurors and legionnaires, they were kept moving by those above them. The cogs were turning, the biggest issue though was the uncertainty. Other than keeping the peace, what was going to happen next?
"We need to reestablish order. The muggle government is in shambles, martial law is in effect, but even now we're receiving word of chaos in the streets, all over the country. People need answers, people need direction, they need a way to go." Neville Longbottom implored his surrounding lords and ladies.
"We're all open to suggestions, Lord Longbottom. I'm certain we'd all love some direction right about now." Came the reply from the lord of a light house.
"The Ministry should work with the Round Table to reestablish parliament, the muggles need leadership, and they need it quickly. The sooner we can repair the damage, the sooner we can turn our focus to the hell storm this attack has unleashed on magicals all over the world." Came a suggestion from Theodore Nott, which earned many nods of agreement.
"But will they accept such a thing, our will dictating their governing body?" Draco inquired aloud.
"Probably not. The people are in desperate need of answers, and they're scared. Panic is gripping the entire populace and until we get a handle on things, this panic will continue to get worse." Riley voiced, drawing many a gaze to her, as she remained eerily quiet throughout the day, simply listening in on the meeting and taking in everyone's position and opinion.
"So what then? Do we try to have the Ministry impose order?" Lucius inquired, gazing at Riley, and then down to Thomas, curious to hear how both would react.
"The people are scared. And rightly so. They've seen a horrible demonstration of some of the darkest forms of magic. We need to give them a showing, prove who we are by our actions. That will benefit us far more in the long run. We need to face facts, the secret is out. The Statute has fallen. We have no reason not to use our full power to restore order, and ensure safety and security to those who are in desperate need of it. As for who should lead it… that is a difficult question. We worry for the fates and feelings of our muggle counterparts who suffered far more grievously from this attack than we did. We have a difficult decision to make. If we work to restore parliament, than we place our abilities and our lives into the hands of muggles. We could try installing some of our own into parliament, that may settle some issues. The difficulty is that without proper elections, anything we establish will appear as biased and will open the door for mistrust and fear." Riley responded, earning several nods, thoughtful looks, and curious stares as people pondered her words.
"What other option is there? The Ministry would appear heavily biased." A light lord noted, earning a nod from Riley.
"That's true. Our only way of appearing unbiased and allowing the muggles free reign is to allow military law to reign for however many months in takes to rebuild parliament and get the country back in order. But we all know we can't do that. We don't have months, we don't even have days. I know it's still settling in for everyone, but allow me to reiterate, that the secret is out. Within a week, the whole world will know that magic exists, and that's a very optimistic estimate. I'm almost certain that within a week, we will need to be able to answer the world's questions. And to do that, we need leadership." Riley agreed with the man, pressing onto everyone that no matter how they did this, they were going to look like they were imposing their will or stacking the deck in their favor. The only way to make it not look like that was to step away, but that opened an entirely new can of worms, and was basically off the table.
"So what do we do then, my lady? Surely you have an idea, a suggestion. Because so far we all agree that we cannot simply wait for this problem to fix itself. So what then? What would you do, if you could decide?" The same lord inquired.
Riley was silent for a moment as she turned thoughtful, her eyes slowly found their way to Daphne's who stared back and offered a the slightest of nods, showing that she was ready for what came next.
"Aside from doing nothing, there's no way to do this without us appearing like we're in control. I know how this will sound to many of you, and given what has happened, I hate that is has to be now that we must discuss such things, but we have to consider our future, not just the muggles." Riley began, moving from her seat to the center of the chamber, drawing everyone's gaze to her, as murmurs began to fill the crowd.
"We are magical lords and ladies. We are just as important as the muggles. Our world, has been forever changed by this attack. We've lost our anonymity. We've lost the ability to hide. We must now face the scrutiny of the greater portion of the human race. You all thought the challenge to our beliefs was a pain from muggleborn, now we will be judged by the entirety of humanity. Were the choice left in my hands, I wouldn't put our fate into the hands of muggles who know nothing about us, about magic, or our ways." Riley continued on, drawing louder murmurs from the crowd as many, especially those of the dark and neutral sides voiced their agreement.
Tom and Lucius watched her closely, with Tom offering a small smile, signifying his agreement with her sentiment. High above the chamber, Artoria stared down at Riley, her gaze calculating as she took in Riley's words.
"I believe the best way to show the world who we are, is to do what we all know must be done. The muggle government has been destroyed, the Royal family, is gone, even the muggle military has been hit hard by this attack. We stand as a pillar of strength, we should use that strength to uplift the people. We shouldn't just stand back and let the world silently judge us. We should step forward and use our gifts, use our magic to repair our nation and help uplift it to staggering new heights. At this moment, we can choose to set the example for the world of what magicals are. We can show them our strength, our valor, our power, and use it to heal them, and repair the damage that was done to us. I think, for our people's sake, it is our duty to unite, and with our combined power, we can show them, and the world, that we do not buckle in the face of adversity, nor do we cower in the face of a challenge. We must unite under a common goal, and use our powers to rebuild our nation." Riley continued, allowing passion and drive to slip into her words.
Many around her nodded in agreement, it helped her play that many within the crowd were her friends from school, many of whom had risen to their lordships since the end of school. There was also her allies in the dark, and her family like Sirius.
Cheers of agreement quickly built up in the crowd, as many began to voice similar sentiments, in regards to their future.
"Than who will we unite under? The Minister?" Thomas inquired, silencing the cheers.
"I do believe he's up to the task. Lucius Malfoy led us through a time of war, and I see him leading our magical world through this crisis as well. He is a good man, and an excellent choice, were it not for the one person who eclipses all others present in their leadership qualities, I would choose him in a heartbeat." Riley responded, earning curious whispers from the crowd.
Some even began to suspect, and quickly voiced those suspicions.
"Who amongst us could handle such an endeavor if not the Minister? You?" Came an inquiry from Neville, giving voice to where many thought this was heading. Given Riley's status as a hero, and the most powerful magical around, on top of her many lordships, such a power play could be quite successful. She had a strong voting block in her friendships and allies, and many already saw her as a great leader.
"I may lead when it is necessary of me, but I have no desire for such things, nor would I press such a claim when a far better option is present." Riley responded, earning surprise from everyone.
Many of her friends shared curious looks as they thought they knew where this was heading.
Lucius was quick to share a glance with his son, who was eyeing Riley with a smirk, suspecting something far more grand from his best friend. Lucius subtly shifted his gaze to meet with the Dark Lord's. Voldemort was smiling now and nodded to the high seats above.
Seeing that, it quickly clicked in Lucius' mind as he gazed up into the high seats where Artoria Pendragon sat. He began to understand Riley's endgame. She intended for King Arthur to return. A smirk appeared on his face as he waited for the question to be asked. He knew it was coming, and was curious to see how Riley would address Artoria's true identity, a secret known only to a few. To most she was just a descendant of the Pendragon line.
"And who is this better option, lady Riley?" Draco inquired, keeping the smirk off his face.
Riley met his gaze, earning a subtle nod from her best friend to show that he knew where this was going, and was with her.
"I swear on my life and magic, that what I tell you next is the truth..." Riley began, earning immense focus from the surrounding lords and ladies.
Riley was silent for a moment as she turned in place, passing her gaze over the entire crowd.
"The Descendant of the Pendragon line is a fabrication. King Arthur had no children. The woman sitting up there right now, is the legend we know as King Arthur Pendragon. The King of Knights." Riley proclaimed earning stunned silence from the crowd.
Daphne watched as Riley unveiled that secret to the crowd. She was happy her position was opposite of where Artoria sat above, so that she could see the ancient king's look of surprise.
"Only a few were aware of the truth. King Arthur was born as a girl, raised as a knight, and hid her gender, so that she could do what was needed. She was born in a time where women were seen as less than men, and so she kept the truth to herself, and became the legend we know of as King Arthur. That woman sitting above us, is the Once and Future King. Her legend speaks that one day King Arthur would return to us, her life was spared by the Grim Reaper who brought her to us in this time. I believe in her destiny, and I believe that in this time of crisis, we need someone who has ruled magicals and muggles alike. Someone who united us during a time of strife and led us through the darkness. I believe with all my heart that the one meant to lead us, is the King we hold so close to heart. To the Pendragon line that helped forge our magical world. To the woman who led us then, and fought alongside us now to defend our nation. I've seen her valor, her skill, and her leadership abilities with my own two eyes. There is no one I'd rather follow into this crisis." Riley explained to them all, as she slowly lifted her gaze to meet with Artoria's.
Artoria stared back in dumbstruck disbelief.
She was stunned, confused, unsteady. For a moment she felt lost as a familiar weight descended upon her. Her eyes glazed over as her past as king flashed in her mind. Her many failures, her many shortcomings. Everything that she had done that caused her kingdom to collapse. A part of her wanted to deny it, to pass it on to another. But as her eyes broke from Riley's and found their way across the room meeting with the gazes of all those looking up at her, she found her resolve quickly reforming.
In their eyes she saw a desperate hope. A hope that Riley's words were the absolute truth. That Artoria truly was the legendary king. A hope that there would be a guiding light in these dark times.
Artoria rose to her feet, her gaze hardening as she began to descend towards the center of the chamber, eventually arriving at Riley's side.
She took in the looks of the surrounding lords and ladies. The reverence she had received at the notion of simply being descended from King Arthur was nothing compared to now.
Despite her short stature, Artoria seemed to tower above all those surrounding her. Her posture, her aura, her presence, all made her seem larger than life.
"I swear upon my honor, my magic, and my life, that what I say is true. I am King Arthur Pendragon." Artoria declared, earning a smile from Riley.
"Artoria fought by my side during the battle of Dover. She fought with us during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Through her actions I've seen a glimpse of the legend. I can think of no one better to lead us during this time of crisis, than someone who has done it before." Riley offered to the crowd.
"I can vouch for her valor, and skill in battle, and she has shown a steady hand and great wisdom in her role as a leader. I agree with Lady Riley. In this time of crisis we must unite under a strong leader. I believe we must show the world what we are capable of. We must band together, magicals and muggles alike." Thomas stated as he rose to his feet, earning cheers of agreement.
"Lady Artoria, will you lead us in this time of great turmoil. Will you guide us to the best of your ability?" Lucius asked of her.
Artoria was silent for a moment, as her gaze became heavily nostalgic. After several long moments Excalibur appeared in her hand and she removed Invisible Air. The shining blade of Promised Victory earned awe from the crowd. Artoria turned her focus towards the blade before holding it up, raised towards the heavens.
"Upon this sword I swear, I will guide my people to the best of my abilities. Upon my honor as a knight, I swear I will defend my people. Upon my name, I swear I will uphold the will of my subjects. By my life, I will protect my home, to my dying breath. I, Artoria Pendragon, do so swear. Let my life serve as an example to others, and by my service to this great land, let it rise to glory once more!" Cheers erupted from the crowd as the surrounding lords and ladies began to chant Artoria's name.
Riley stood by her side, beaming at her friend and lover.
The cheering continued for several long moments when suddenly, a magical outpouring, rippled through the chamber.
Surprise echoed through the crowd as many tensed, ancient runes, and wards activating, as magic caused the room to shake. At the center of the chamber, the ground began to crack. Riley and Artoria quickly backed away as the stone floor erupt and gleaming light suddenly poured through the ceiling.
Smoke and dust obscured the center of the room before settling. There, in the center of the chamber, sat a blackened stone, and emerging from the stone, a sword of utter magnificence.
Mutterings of awe passed out from the crowd as all those present gazed upon the stone and the blade in dumbfounded amazement.
"What in the fresh hell was that?" Kurama muttered.
"I felt a powerful rush of magic, like some sort of ancient summoning ritual. The runes on the walls… it was almost like someone set this here a long time ago. Like they were waiting for this moment." Riley responded.
"Well they do call her the 'Once and Future King'. Perhaps someone did place this here, like they had a prophetic vision of this." Kurama noted, sensing that Artoria's acceptance to the position of leader, was what triggered this. Something that Riley fully agreed with.
"That's not possible." Artoria muttered in disbelief, slowly approaching the stone, her eyes wide, and filled with awe and nostalgia.
"You recognize this blade?" Riley inquired to her.
"It's Caliburn. The Sword of Choosing." Artoria replied, as she continued to move closer to the stone.
"The sword you pulled from the stone?" Riley asked, earning a nod from Artoria.
"A sword of it's like would never exist again. That's what Merlin had told me when it broke in battle." Artoria whispered as she reached out for it, almost mesmerized. Suddenly though, she pulled back, as she realized that something was wrong.
"This is not Caliburn." Artoria stated, blinking away her awe, and turning more curious.
"It's not?" Riley asked.
"It looks the same. It's close. Very close. Almost exact. But this isn't the same sword I wielded so long ago. This is…" Artoria began to explain only for her eyes to fall to the black stone the sword was sheathed in.
Inscribed into the stone, in old welsh, were the words "Let this sword rest in magic's heart until the Once and Future King arises to claim it. Let the one who pulleth this sword be forever known as the rightwise ruler of all England."
"How is this possible?" Artoria mumbled to herself as Riley stepped up next to her, and gazed at the inscription.
"I sense powerful magics tied into that stone, and the inscription. There are spells intertwined here, keeping the sword in place. I sense demonic energy within, like a minor demon or even a half-demon of some sort. The sword itself is holy, yet within the black stone, I see dark magics." Riley stated, eyeing the stone curiously.
"Merlin!" Artoria stated, earning Riley's attention.
"Merlin? You're saying Merlin did this?" Riley inquired, as others in the room listened in or even approached, curious to see what would happen next.
"This sword… it's almost exactly like Caliburn. I can't truly explain why I know that it isn't Caliburn, but I do. And yet… I feel as if this test was placed before me." Artoria responded as she took in a breath and once more reached out for the blade.
As she did, an echo played in her mind.
She remembered his words, Merlin had said to her, from the moment she pulled the sword, she would no longer be human, but something more.
He had told her that she would lose everything, and had even shown her a vision of her future and even her death. The smiling faces she had seen along the way were what convinced her to push forward, even if she would suffer for it.
His words echoed clearly in her mind, that to take on this role once more, she would lose everything.
"This is the moment. I can choose to walk away. Guide my people to the best of my abilities but allow them the freedom to appoint a true monarch. I can still live a pleasant life." Artoria paused as her gaze became conflicted. For a moment she hesitated before turning her eyes to meet with Riley's gaze.
Riley offered her a smile and nod.
"Go ahead, I believe in you Artoria. I know you wont fail. I'll be there by your side, always." Riley said to her.
A gentle smile fell upon Artoria's features as she turned her gaze back onto the sword.
"I am not who I once was. I will not carry this burden alone. If there is one thing Riley has taught me more than anything else, it is that we choose our own fates. It's never to late to make things right." With that, Artoria reached out wrapping her hand around the hilt of the blade.
A pulse of magic echoed out from the stone as Artoria began to draw out the sword.
Gasps of awe filled the crowd as a golden light filled the room and grew in intensity as the blade was drawn.
A flash of golden magic filled the air as the blade slipped free from it's stony sheath. Artoria held it aloft, gazing upon the blade with reverence.
She stared at it for several long moments before lowering it to her side. In one hand she held Excalibur and in the other, this sword that was the mirror image of Caliburn. One a blade of war, the other a symbol of authority. It almost felt like fate, for the two swords to be united once more, when Britain once again required a monarch.
A few moments of quiet reverence were felt before Artoria raised her gaze to the surrounding Lords and Ladies.
"From this moment, I put forth my claim as your Monarch." Artoria declared.
"We've seen something quite amazing here today, and I'm certain we aren't finished yet. Let us put it to a vote then and make it official. All those in favor of a reinstatement of a magical monarchy, say aye." Lucius instructed.
A chorus of cheers roared out from the crowd. Those that followed Riley, were quick to fall in line, those the followed the dark, marched in lock-step behind Thomas, the Light were more than eager to side with King Arthur of all people, and the Neutrals were generally of similar mind. By the end of the count, they were able to mark this moment as one of only seven times in the Wizengamot's history, where the body had voted unanimously on something.
"And now, we vote on Artoria Pendragon's declaration. Who here will declare for her?" Lucius called out.
Again, a chorus of affirmations flooded the chamber, Riley's chief amongst them.
"I do not believe we needn't waste time with another count." Lucius noted, as this collection of cheers was even louder than the last. "Than by my authority as Minister of Magic, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, I Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, hereby name you, Artoria Pendragon, Ruler and Sovereign of Magical Britain. Long may she reign!"
"Long may she reign!" A chorus went out from the crowd, words echoed by Riley as many offered their new ruler bows of subservience.
"Now, what shall our first order of business be your grace?" Lucius inquired.
Artoria was silent for a moment as she contemplated that. She ran his question through her mind and formulated her response, knowing that now was the time for action.
Silently, she wrapped Excalibur back in Invisible Air, and placed in on her hip. By the time she was done with that, Riley was already handing her a wooden scabbard, made from wood style, so she'd have a place to store her newest sword.
Artoria offered Riley a nod of thanks as she sheathed the Caliburn look-alike. She met Riley's gaze for a few moments before smirking.
"Uh-oh." Kurama hummed.
"That was a deviant little smirk. Kinda cute too. I've never seen Artoria rueful though. This might not bode well." Riley thought to herself, as Artoria turned her attention back on the crowd, allowing her smirk to fade, and her gaze to harden into a look of sheer focus.
"Minister Malfoy, the resources of the Ministry will need to be fully deployed to aid our people across the country. The muggles may not have sworn fealty to me yet, but they are still our countrymen and we must do everything in our power to aid them in recovering from this vicious attack." Artoria began, earning a nod from Lucius in reply.
"Furthermore I will require meetings set up with the various heads of the Ministry and we will need to establish a time for me to meet with the leaders of the various magical peoples of Britain. Things such as ceremony, and coronations can wait until after the country has begun healing. We will focus on bridging the gaps between magical and muggle people, and we will not forget those that lost their lives due to Millennium. My predecessors will be held in full honor for their commitment to peace and unity." Artoria continued.
"If I may, your grace, how shall we address our new monarch. I know you were a king once, though things are far different now, more accepting of women as rulers?" Lucius asked of her.
"I was raised a knight, and trained to be a king. Ruling as a King is how I've ruled once before, and it is how I will rule now. With that being said, you are correct. Times have changed. My gender no longer limits my ability to rule. I will accept the title of Queen Regnant, as that is what would be most proper, and easiest to understand in this day and age." Artoria answered, earning a nod from the minister and a smile from Riley.
"And finally, here today I will solidify my claim by naming Lady Riley, of the Houses Uchiwa, Uzumaki, Senju, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Black, as my betrothed." Artoria added, earning cheers from the crowd.
"What?" Riley replied, startled by the sudden proclamation.
"Haha! Clever little vixen that one! You got her into this, now she's making sure you get dragged into it with her." Kurama cackled with laughter.
"Shit!" Riley thought to herself as a smile spread across her face. That was not something she had thought about with this whole plan. Making Artoria the new monarch ensured the rise of a magical nation without Riley having to be the one to helm it. Of course she had overlooked the fact that as Artoria's lover, it would only be reasonable for her to name Riley as her betrothed and at the very least, have her as a consort. Riley hoped it stayed at that, but given Artoria's earlier smirk, Riley suspected her newly betrothed had the intention of dragging Riley as high as she possibly could, and given her hero status and her number of lordships within Britain, the case could easily be made for her getting quite an illustrious title.
Riley would have to sit down and talk with Artoria about this later. While she was more than willing to stand by Artoria through all of this, she was hoping to avoid adding the soul wrenching boredom of office work to her life.
Cheers continued to fill the room, loudest of which came from Riley's friends, along with Sirius. A quick glance at Daphne, revealed with Hellsing Lord to be smirking down at her, sensing Riley's discomfort at being put on the spot like this.
Riley turned her attention to Artoria and offered her a chuckle.
Artoria smiled back at her, happy to have gotten the words out without blushing. Now it was out there, she wanted Riley as her wife.
Riley took her hand, and the two faced the crowd, ready to face the uncertain future together.
-August 11th 1999-
The world was changing.
Upon Artoria's command, magicals crawled out of the wood-works to offer their services to the new regime.
The Legion, DMLE, and the Ministry in it's entirety, began to actively offer their support and assistance to those in need within the community.
They helped to clean up the streets, removing wreckage and bodies. They offered medical aid, using magic to heal injuries. And they even used their magic to begin repairing the damage to the city.
The reactions from the populace was dumbstruck amazement. Many could only sit and watch in awe as magicals went about their business using magic to levitate fallen debris out of the way, or heal rather major injuries with simple wand motions. Hashirama spent his time using his wood style to create shelters for those that had lost their homes in the fighting and to heal them.
People were naturally afraid of course and the reaction of the populace to the death of their leaders was a national heartbreak, but many quickly became focused on the actions of these magicals who were spending all hours of the day repairing the damage done.
The first meeting Artoria had was with the Chief of the Goblin Nation. One look at the Caliburn like sword, and the Goblins dropped to their knees and swore absolute fealty to the ruler of England. They were of course one of the few races that truly recognized the authority that the sword radiated and understood its meaning. Learning that Artoria was actually the one once known as King Arthur, simply furthered their beliefs.
The Goblins were loyal to themselves, but they still held the oaths their people had made fifteen hundred years prior to Artoria, and quickly fell in line to honor those oaths. That wasn't to say that they had any love for the ministry, that would probably never change, but they were willing to follow Artoria.
The Round Table spent many hours in discussion from the moment they heard what the magicals were planning some members slipped into argument, calling this some sort of power play, as it appeared to them that the magicals were trying to take over during this chaotic event.
Artoria took in their claims, and in response, asked them if they were finished serving Britain. Because the Round Table was meant to serve and protect the nation. Artoria intended to continue that role, no matter if she was a Queen, a Knight, or just a woman. She would serve the nation to the best of her abilities. She didn't ask that her fellow knights put their trust in her on a whim, if they needed proof of her genuine desire to help her people, than she would provide it to them, through her actions.
This tempered some of the more vocal detractors and they were silenced completely when word reached them that Artoria intended to marry Riley. Regardless of Riley's status as a hero, at the end of the day as far as people knew, she was the Jinchuriki for the two most powerful demons in the world, the Nine and Ten Tails.
Both entities could level countries with complete ease, and having just one of them made any controlling faction a superpower. Having both, actually put Britain at a level of power it hadn't been at in years. Not since the British Empire dominated most of the known world, had the country commanded such power, and now with the Statute broken, Riley was a literal deterrent, on the level of the United States or Russian nuclear arsenals.
Many of the more cunning members of the Round Table, quickly came to realize that with the Statute broken, a Jinchuriki would now be an official weapon of mass destruction. And Riley had the two strongest, and she was going to marry the One and Two Tails Jinchuriki. And add onto that, that Fū, the revived Seven Tails Jinchuriki was a ward of the English State, and for all intents and purposes, a member of the Legion, even though she was technically just under their protection at the moment, she was still free to join at any time, if she wanted to.
That meant that Britain had an alliance with the One Tails, Two Tails, and Eight Tails. Custody of the Seven Tails, and it's own Jinchuriki, in the form of the Nine and Ten Tails.
Six of the Ten Tailed Beasts were tied to Britain right now, and as far as anyone knew the remaining Tailed Beasts were roaming freely in the Elemental Nations, not under anyone's control. Meaning all of the Jinchuriki in the world, were either tied to England, or allied with it.
That was a level of power the muggles had yet to reach, and many within the Round Table could see that. Soon, many fell into line behind Artoria, and began to use their contacts and subordinates within the English Military and what was left of the English government to begin rallying support for the magical monarch.
People were naturally confused, uncertain, and even unwilling to just side with this unknown.
Anarchy was a possible threat that could overtake the country without a rapid response, and the Knight's of the Round Table quickly fell into tasks aimed at quelling chaos.
-August 12th 1999-
Magic is real.
A headline seen around the world. With no other choice, the ICW began working with it's UN counterpart to reveal the existence of the magical world. Their intention was to reveal things in the least shocking, and most grounded way possible.
Interviews were set up for major media outlets to meet with experts from both the muggle governments and the magical ones.
The Daily Prophet, and the Quibbler were both having an absolute field day with everything that was going on. While the Daily Prophet was busy trying to get an interview with the Minister, with Riley, and with Artoria, Luna on behalf of the Quibbler, quietly interviewed those of her friends that were there. And instead of annoying the two busy-bodies with a sit down interview, Luna simply asked for a moment of their time to ask a few questions, when she got the opportunity. Riley and Artoria were both willing to spare that, especially for Luna.
Slowly but surely, people were becoming less guarded as more information reached them. A society that was basically alien to them. A society of magicals, of witches, and wizards. And yet, they were still their countrymen.
-London-
"Does it hurt anymore?" Hashirama inquired, as he finished healing a man's arm.
The man flexed his hand a bit and moved his arm. After a moment he let out a chuckle of disbelief. "It's really healed. I thought it was broken."
"Broken bones can be easily mended with magic. You should let others know as well, if they're suffering similar injuries. The hospitals are quite packed at the moment, it'd be easier on them if they just came here." Hashirama offered to the man.
"Right. I'll be sure to do that." The man replied.
Hashirama smiled at that and turned to search out someone else in need of help.
"Hey, can I ask you a question?" The man inquired.
"Of course." Hashirama replied turning back to him.
"What do you get out of this? I mean you're just helping everyone for free?" He asked.
"Helping one's countrymen should be it's own reward. But in truth, I simply don't enjoy when others are forced to suffer. If I can do something to alleviate that suffering, even if just a bit, then I will. It makes me feel better, knowing that I've done what I can to help others who need it. I truly believe there is a natural generosity in the human spirit. A willingness to help others, in their time of need." Hashirama explained, offering the man another smile in the process.
In response the man could only nod slowly and offer his thanks.
Elsewhere in the city, Neji Hyuuga and Choji Akimichi stood with some rescue workers, moving from ruined building to ruined building, searched for anyone that may still be trapped inside some of the damaged structures.
"There's someone alive beneath here." Neji noted, staring at a pile of rubble that didn't even look like a building anymore.
"How can you be so sure?" Came an inquiry from firefighter.
"My eyes allow me to see through solid material." Neji responded, gesturing to the veins bulging around his eyes, which gave off a piercing intensity despite the fact that he almost appeared to be blind due to the coloring.
"Well, let's get to it. Where are they exactly?" Choji inquired as he cracked his knuckles.
Neji began to explain where the person was as Choji activated his clan's Expansion Jutsu. Increasing his size to nearly twenty feet tall.
His sudden increase in size earned dumbstruck looks from the surrounding firefighters.
With Neji's guidance, Choji quickly picked through the debris, easily shifting and lifting chucks aside to clear a path towards where someone lay, wedged between a piece of furniture and a wall. This person wasn't conscious but seemed relatively unharmed, aside from the dehydration.
The firefighters quickly carried the man out from the wreckage and got him onto a gurney. They cheered for Choji and Neji as Choji returned to normal size. Both young men tried to hide their embarrassment, as they felt they were only doing what was right in helping out.
Similar cases occurred around the city as magicals did what they could to help out those in need. Slowly but surely, London was pulling itself together.
Later on that night, Riley, Artoria, and Daphne sat quietly in Daphne's office at the Hellsing manor. The Hellsing headquarters was in the midst of being repaired after the attack by Millennium.
"It'll start with the news agencies. We'll need to give interviews, figure out what we're going to say." Daphne expressed after a moment of silence.
"I understand the necessity of getting information out there, but now is not the time for such distractions." Artoria responded.
"I know it may not seem as important, but in this day and age, with a fully educated populace, getting the facts to them, is just as important as anything else. We can't wait for weeks to let them hear our side of things." Daphne argued in reply.
"She's right. We need to get our story out there. We need to find someone who can answer their questions while we keep working." Riley agreed.
"Did you have someone in mind? It must be someone we can trust to handle this without our micromanaging. We have far more to focus on." Artoria inquired.
"This person is gonna be put through the gauntlet. Reporters are vicious. We need someone who'll remain cool under pressure, and focused through it all. Someone who's close to the action, but can take the time to field their questions, and formulate the proper responses." Daphne noted.
There was silence for several long moments before Riley smirked, knowing full well who'd be the perfect fit, to handle this while everyone else focused on repairing the country.
-London, England. August 18th 1999-
Three panelists, sat waiting for the news anchor to pivot to them. One was a representative from the mayor's office in London named Natalie, one was a member of the British armed forces named David, and the final person was Draco Malfoy, son of the Minister of Magic, and head of House Malfoy.
The three were about to be brought on to discuss recent events within England, including the Attack on London, the Fall of the Statute of Secrecy, Magical Britain, and all sorts of things like that. This was anticipated to be one of the most viewed interviews in the nation's history.
Draco sat calmly, and with a relaxed demeanor as the news anchor Oliver Davies, introduced the three of them, and began the segment.
For the first few minutes he discussed with Natalie and then David about their positions and how they viewed events. Draco kept quiet throughout these long minutes, allowing them to hypothesize and speculate as he waited to be addressed. Despite the three of them supposedly being brought in to discuss this together, Draco could read behind the lines, and knew that David and Natalie were both present to assist in questioning the magical representative.
"Well I think what we're all dying to know is what happened here, less than a week ago? We understand that a violent organization, has been responsible for the series of brutal attacks that have occurred over the last few months, and we understand that they may have had political affiliations with the Nazi political party. What we're missing is finer details, and most of what we've received is just speculation. I would like to direct this question to Draco Malfoy, son the British Minister of Magic, could you start out by telling the viewing audience your qualifications for coming here?" Oliver began.
"Well as you noted my father is the Minister of Magic, he runs the Ministry, the magical organization that helps govern Magical Britain. Magical Britain in-and-of itself, is controlled by two primary organizations, the Ministry, and the Wizengamot. The former is more of an executive body that handles the day-to-day running of magical society, while the Wizengamot is a council of lords that acts as our legislative and judicial branch, devising laws and overseeing our courts. My father is not only the Minister of Magic, but is also Chief Warlock, the head of the Wizengamot who handles guiding proceedings and the general daily schedule of the voting body. I myself am a member of the Wizengamot, taking my family's house seat after I came of age. My family are prominent business owners, and very recently I served within Britain's magical military and fought in the Fourth Great Shinobi World War, and in the battle for London." Draco calmly explained to the news anchor and his fellow panelists. All three of them hung on his every word and even showed visible surprise when he mentioned a magical world war.
"If I may, I know this might be off topic just a bit, but this Fourth Great Shinobi World War, what was it? When did it occur?" The News anchor asked.
"The Fourth Great Shinobi World War began around the summer of 1996, and lasted until the early months of 1997. The War was fought in the Elemental Nations, a continent hidden by magic. We were drawn into the war when Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, our nation's premiere institute of learning, was attacked during an international tournament. Later the enemy attacked us again, attempting to land an invasion force in Dover. Some of you may recall the so called 'terrorist' incidents that occurred there. In reality our magical military fought off an incursion by our enemies. Finally after an attempted assassination during the wedding of one of the most powerful noblewomen in the country, we marched off to war, aiding our allies in the Elemental Nations in defeating our foes there. It was quite the event, and I'm sure it'll be extrapolated upon in the upcoming months, but I feel like delving to deeply into it now, will draw us completely off topic. Needless to say, we won the war." Draco explained, again earning the full attention of the three.
"You seem to have had quite the history, how old are you, if I might ask?" Natalie asked.
"I'm nineteen." Draco answered.
"Nineteen? That means you would have been sixteen or seventeen during this war." Natalie noted with surprise.
"And I was. In magical society, one can graduate from schooling after they complete their OWL tests, which occurs generally around when one is fifteen or sixteen years old. Our nation was in desperate need of capable fighters, and I had received combat training from the time I was twelve." Draco responded.
"Now when you say combat training, what exactly does that pertain to?" David inquired. The man himself was a major in the army, and had been in the armed forces since he was eighteen. The man was currently closing in on his fifteenth year of service.
"I was taught in the shinobi way of fighting by my very good friend, Riley Uchiwa. She was born and raised in the Elemental Nations and became a shinobi at a very young age. By the time we met she was already a notable bounty hunter within Europe and had successfully captured or killed dozens of treacherous, corrupt, or murderous magicals. The Elemental Nations are a brutal place where the conscription of child soldiers is unfortunately an overly common occurrence. She left that place when she was eight and immigrated to Britain when she was eleven. She taught me in the ways of self-defense and eventually I asked her to teach me in the ways of combat, learning how to fight as the shinobi do. So by the time I sixteen, and marching off to war, I had already been learning the ways of battle for nearly four years. Honestly that's far more training than our non-magical military gets before they are forced into battle." Draco explained, earning a slow nod from David, and an appalled look from Natalie. The idea of child soldiers striking against her values.
"So, what can you tell us about the recent events here in London?" Oliver asked.
"Over the last few months we've been under siege by an organization calling themselves Millennium. They were comprised of surviving officers from the Nazi regime that operated during World War II. They survived by turning their members into vampires. The organization's goal was to trigger a third World War, by causing the collapse of mainstream society. London was their first target. Had they succeeded here, they would have no doubt moved on to other capitols all over Europe, causing anarchy and chaos. They were an order of fiends, dedicated to nihilism and destruction. A cult of death worshiping psychopaths, who've been planning this for decades. They began their attack by assassinating the heads of England's government. Killing members of parliament and the Royal Family. They than used infiltrators to attack our military bases across the nation, handicapping our ability to respond to their true attack on London. They commenced their attack late at night, cutting off our communications and bombing the city. They then invaded using zeppelins to drop ground troops that began to systematically murder anyone in sight. They then raised those they had killed as ghouls and used these ghouls to swell their ranks. What started with just a thousand vampires, would soon add tens of thousands of ghouls to their number. Luckily the Hellsing organization, and the Knights of the Round table were able to organize a rapid counter attack. Our magical military responded quickly to the enemy threats and held the line while civilians were evacuated. Fighting went into the early morning until finally the zeppelins were brought down and the leaders of the organization were captured or killed." Draco explained to the three and everyone watching, he could see both Natalie and Oliver were deeply disturbed when he mentioned how these vampires had murdered and than raised innocent civilians as their tools.
"So vampires are real? Like the stories and such?" David asked, in full information gathering mode, and knowing full well his superiors were watching this interview very closely.
"In a manner of speaking yes. Vampire are real. They are highly immune to damage, and can only easily be killed by specific means. For instance magic can cause them harm. So can blessed munitions. Destroying their hearts or cutting off their heads will kill them." Draco answered.
"And they can bring people back as zombies?" Natalie noted, making sure she was hearing that part correctly.
"Not zombies. Ghouls. And not every vampire can accomplish such a feat. Vampiric power is based heavily on ones decent from the original vampire. Most vampires you'll find wandering the streets are generally good people, they feed off of animal blood or donated human blood and just live life the best they can. Vampirism is generally an affliction and one without a cure, so people have to survive with it the best way they can. Most vampires nowadays are fifteen to twenty generations descended from the original meaning they're relatively weak. They can't turn into bats, or make ghouls. Only vampires closely related to the original, and those that are blood drunk can create ghouls. Usually such a power is found only in those within two or three generations of Count Dracula. Within the Millennium airships we found evidence that they were using the remains of one of Dracula's sirelings that he created hundreds of years ago. This person is deceased but the vampiric disease remains within them, and by using her, they were able to create an army of vampires with such powers. Outside of Millenium, maybe less than a hundred vampires in the world, can create ghouls." Draco answered, making sure to emphasize that this was an ability constricted to only a few and that Millennium was an exception, not the norm.
"What's the difference? Between a ghoul and a zombie?" David asked.
"Zombies are just reanimated corpses, filled with malevolent desires. They are single minded, with little to no problem solving ability. Ghouls are more intelligent. They can be as dumb as a rotting corpse or they can be trained like humans to respond to commands and even operate with tactics. They are far more dangerous." Draco responded, earning a nod of understanding from David.
"You mentioned Count Dracula, as well as the Hellsing Organizations. I'm assuming that has something to do with Van Hellsing like in the story books?" Oliver questioned.
"Many stories you've heard as mere fairy-tales, or fantasy actually hold more than a few grains of truth to them. Part of our society staying hidden from the outside world involve spinning such tales to make them appear as mere fantasy. Yes Dracula is real. Yes Doctor Van Hellsing was real and he did fight and defeat Dracula. Normally we keep such truths hidden away, but sometimes they slip out to the non-magical populace, and when that happens, it's often spun as mere fantasy. The Hellsing organization was founded over a century ago to act as an elite monster hunting force. Since then it has refined it's role from just monster hunting, to now offering their knowledge to various magical and muggle governments around the world to help deal with magical or fantastical threats that exit our world and enter yours. The Hellsing Organization is our Special Air Service. We have the Cysgodol Legion as our magical military and the DMLE as our magical police force. All three of these organizations hold a seat on, and are overseen by, the Knights of the Round Table. The Knights were chosen directly by the late Queen, from magical and non-magical ranks to ensure that on both sides of the fence, England was well looked after." Draco informed them all, earning a nod from David and Natalie and a hum of curiosity from Oliver.
"So, the magical world has kept itself a secret for, I'm presuming, centuries. Now with this recent attack, the cat's sort of out of the bag." Oliver offered.
"Yes. In simplest terms, that is essentially the state we're in now." Draco agreed.
"Why were you hiding?" Natalie asked.
"There has always been conflict between magicals and muggles. Look as the rise of Christianity throughout Europe as a prime example. Those suspected of witchcraft were burned at the stake, or hung. These events are as true as those fantasy stories I mentioned earlier. One of the biggest detriments to us, was that magic isn't a constant within a family. You can have a dozen generations of pure and powerful magical beings and then one day a child is born that simply doesn't have it. That's genetics for you. Sometimes things just happen. Suddenly magic dies off within a community. The leading suspicion for magical deterioration has to do with it's lack of use. Magic is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes. As technology advances magic must advance with it, otherwise it becomes less useful, less people need it, thus it's used less, it gets weaker, less people are born with it, on and on this goes until eventually it just starts to fade in groups. Add onto that the fear mongering and the rise of technology such as firearms, and we had an even greater reason in our need to hide." Draco expressed to them.
"Wow. Sounds like magic itself is quite temperamental. I heard a report from one of my producers that said that magicals can suddenly appear out of nowhere. Is that just something to do with ancestry or is it really random?" Oliver queried.
"Yes. Humans by their nature are highly magical beings. Most races either have it, or you don't. While not everyone does, we have a higher degree of people born with the ability than most others who find themselves in our position. In some cases we find when a magical child reappears to non-magical parents, that one parent actually does have magical ancestry, but other times we can't find anything. No prior magic lies within them. For instance, my fiance, is a first generation witch, we call them muggleborn, as both of her parents are non-magicals. They have no magical history, magic just appeared within her when she was born. It just happens." Draco answered the question, slipping slightly out of his cool and calculated responses, as this topic was actually one of great interest to magicals and they often found it very fascinating.
"What's happening now? With the reveal of magic, the magical populace of England has sort of taken an active role in helping to rebuild. We've seen them using magic to heal the injured and sick, rescue people who were trapped, rebuild structures and the like. They've provided food, shelter, and the like to a lot of people who desperately need it." Oliver asked.
"Well what choice do we have now? Our existence is known, at this point it would just be cruel to ignore those in desperate need so the Ministry has lifted the restrictions on magical use, and is encouraging anyone and everyone to get out there and try to do what they can to help." Draco answered.
"Well I think I speak for a great many of us when I say we're all very thankful for what you've done for us." Oliver stated, earning nods of agreement from Natalie and David.
"Yes, thank you. I spoke with a mother and young child just this morning and they told me how a kind young woman had healed the child's broken leg after the attack. They were both very grateful to her for her selfless act." Natalie informed them.
Draco offered a polite smile and a nod of acceptance for their gratitude, keeping everything formal, yet lighthearted.
"Alright, I think we have time for two more questions. David, Natalie, if the two of you would each like to ask Mr Malfoy one more question before we finish." Oliver expressed.
"In your opinion what is the magical worlds direction moving forward?" Natalie asked.
"Moving forward, we intend to do what is necessary to get the country back on it's feet. We're dedicated to working with our non-magical countrymen to recover from this painful strike against us, and in doing so, reforge ties that were severed long ago." Draco answered, before turning his attention to David.
"I've been hearing rumors that the magicals recently elected their own Queen. What can you tell us about that?" David asked, earning curious looks from both Natalie and Oliver.
"With our reveal comes an unprecedented alteration to our society. We as a magical society need a guiding light, someone to help guide us forward during this tumultuous time. Queen Artoria Pendragon, is that guiding light. Our council of lords elected her, and we choose to follow behind her as we navigate these chaotic times. None of us will ever forget those that fell to Millennium, including the Royal Family, but we refuse to allow grief to halt our advance. If we falter in the face of despair, than Millennium will have won, and we refuse to allow that. I hope in the coming days you all get the chance to see Queen Artoria as we see her, and make your own decisions on her merits." Draco responded.
"Well that will definitely be something we all pay attention to. Mr. Malfoy, thank you for coming on, we were glad to have you, and we wish for the best for our magical cousins in the future. Hopefully we can all navigate these chaotic times together." Oliver closed out the segment.
Draco was quick to depart after the interview, Apparating away when all was said and done. He quickly returned to Riley and his father, both of whom were watching the live interview from the comfort of the ministry.
"How was that?" Draco inquired.
"We'll have to see how they react. This first run was the easiest. They're still in shock over everything that's happened. Next time they'll come out swinging and we'll start to face their criticism. The doors have also been opened to them learning about the full power we possess. It wont be long before they start asking questions about what a shinobi truly is, and what they can do with magic. That'll lead them to Jinchuriki eventually. The reveal of such powerful entities will light a fire under their asses for sure." Riley noted in response.
"For now we wait and see, and plan our next move. Let's continue our work in peace, for as long as we can." Lucius suggested.
"I agree. Eventually, such peace will be a luxury we can no longer afford." Riley offered in agreement.
And it would be. Soon the shock would fade, and the world would truly begin to scrutinize their every action.
-Riley's Home, London. August 20th 1999-
Riley, and Kushina sat watching as Artoria snarfed down a late dinner. One thing that seemingly would never change about the ancient ruler was her appetite.
"Gotta finish eating and then get some sleep. It's back to the fields tomorrow for more work." Riley hummed, earning a nod from Artoria as she continued to eat.
"Coming to bed soon, love?" Riley heard Fleur inquire. Riley turned her gaze over to her pregnant wife, to see her peeking around the corner with Katie and Luna as well.
Riley offered the three a smile and nodded, earning a chorus of smiles in return. "I'll be up in a few minutes."
The three quickly returned to bed, satisfied with her reply.
"We need to get you on a better schedule, so that you're not having to eat and then go to sleep immediately afterwards." Kushina noted to Artoria, whom nodded in agreement.
"I know I should, I've just been very busy lately and it's easy to lose track of time." Artoria responded.
"Yeah. Still though, eating should be a priority." Kushina stated.
"At the very least making sure you get your three meal a…" Riley began only to stop and turn her gaze towards one of the walls.
"What is it?" Artoria asked.
"Someone's here. At the boundaries of my wards. A demonic presence." Riley noted as her gaze turned sharp and she made for the front door.
Kushina and Artoria quickly followed after her, stepping out into the yard. There standing just outside of the ward boundaries was a man. Quite beautiful in nature. He wore long white robes, that seemed to be made from the finest of fabrics. He was average height for a man, though his features were far from average. He had silvery white hair, it was messy up top but tied off into a pony tail that hung down to his thighs. He truly was a beautiful man, with alluring purple eyes.
"Merlin!" Artoria uttered in disbelief.
"What?" Riley and Kushina stated in unison.
"DA DA DUM!" Kurama bellowed.
"I fucking hate you..." Riley muttered internally as the fox burst out laughing. This situation had further taken a turn for the weird. With the reappearance of Caliburn, or at least a sword that bore it's likeness, and now the reappearance of the might Merlin, it was apparent to the demoness that the future was set to be quite turbulent indeed.
-To be Continued-
Alright, hope everyone enjoys, and I hope everyone is staying safe out there. Now over a week into quarantine and I'm beginning to lose my mind. Stay strong my friends, we'll make it through this crap one day.