Author Note: I've been playing DnD for a while now and came up with the idea of world and character sheets. These are basic world establishing, magic system building info and character background (and stats) so that all of you have a basic understanding of the characters and the story in general. I'll try to flesh out the magic system in my fanfic to make it more immersive as well. Let me know if this is a good idea as well as what you guys want to see in it. Your input is just as valuable as ever when it boils down to it.
By the way, am I currently doing a good job? I'm rather unskilled in writing and found this to be my venting system for life related stress. So, please let me hear your concerns in the PM or the Review column.
So anyways, here's the chapter. Sorry if it's short. I'm writing a longer one soon. Life's gotten me occupied lately.
It need not be said that the fear on her sister's face brought some joy to her sour mood. Not a lot, though. Morgan was fresh off her venture to Hengist's capital at this point in time. She was very pissed at the discoveries she made whilst she was there. Well, to be honest, Morgan couldn't give a damn about most of what the Saxons said. The Queen of Cornwall didn't care about their growing suspicions of her, their concerns about lacking the land to accommodate their current population, the Angles and their tenuous alliance, and most definitely their fear for this 'Archer' character that sprung out of nowhere.
Okay, maybe she was interested in that last part. Moreso about his abilities and less so regarding his identity. Morgan will have to remind herself to speak to Mordred about that one.
Moving back, the key thing the Queen cared about the most during that meeting was the fact that Horsa's men were doing their own scheming without her notice. She was not aware that there were Saxon spies planted within both Londinium and Chelmsford until the 'beastly buffoon' that was Horsa boasted that his spies would sow chaos and dissent within the cities. Thereby making their conquest as quick as it is unstoppable.
And that is something that would not stand.
'It's fortunate that the spy Lucius had with him made it clear that it was Hengist's wish that these two aren't put to death.' Morgan thought. 'My prize would not be as sweet with their corpses found in a dreary place such as this.'
This type of scenario was the very thing Morgan had expected to happen during her grand plan: the scenario wherein unforeseen characters come into play and almost ruin everything she has built up.
She should have killed Lucius the day she helped Nero rise into power. That failure of a man couldn't even run a tax office let alone a kingdom. His incompetence was what drove her to support the so-called 'Imperatrix' in the first place. The Unpopular Nero was a far better tool than the Worthless Lucius. She should have known better to let that loose end lie untied.
Though she cannot blame herself for letting him live. Morgan knew that if Lucius died then and there, his grandfather would be called upon once more to serve Londinium. The old founder was a more captivating choice than the upstart Nero back in the day, after all. And considering what that man is capable of, did not want to happen at all.
However, all that was in the past. The situation forced her to be here: To tie up loose ends. Even if it means dealing with a stab on her pride to do so. But not before having fun toying her sister and teacher.
"I would admit it to you, you've done quite well these past few days." Morgan said as she took a few steps forward. Her glee was barely hidden when the Camelotians instinctively raised their weapons towards her out of fear.
"Oh? Fidgety, are we?" Morgan quipped with a smirk.
"Are you the one who caused this?" Arturia - Arthur - asked bluntly. "Why are you doing this?"
"Pity, pity, brother. You wound me with your words." Morgan said as if she was laughing at a joke only she understood.
"Cease your ploy! What are you doing here?" Arthur demanded with an enraged expression. The 'false king's' face is akin to a growling lion threatening its prey. However, Morgan was nonplussed.
"I am here because of reasons beyond your comprehension. Though, one of them may yet be understood, if you can listen." Morgan said as she took another step forward. Her stare was more pointed and sharper now. "Now that Lucius Dominicus' coup is now underway, I figured that I wanted to see how you and our teacher are doing."
"Speaking of," Morgan said as she looked towards the kneeling Mage of Flowers who was still tending to the badly injured knight. "How are you today, Merlin?"
"A bit better off before you came around, y'know." Merlin said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I could use a drink or two after all this. Maybe a lady friend or two on the side…"
"Same old Merlin, ignorant and a womaniser." Morgan insulted.
"Now now, don't be like that." Merlin said with a wave of his hand. "We all have our faults."
"Yes, but yours is more pressing for us all." Morgan bit back before redirecting her attention towards Arturia. "I have digressed from my main purpose: the coup."
"What about the coup?" Arturia asked defensively. The other Camelotians stood a whole lot straighter at the mention.
"You and I both know the true meaning of Lucius Dominicus' re-ascension to power." Morgan said in a matter of factly tone, "Should he restore himself to the throne of Londinium, the Saxons will use him as a puppet that will let them have free reign to ransack our lands. Our homes."
"Oh? What is this? My former student cares for her people?!" Merlin jested with false horror. He then smacked the back of his hand towards his forehead and said. "I must be having a fever dream. This cannot be possible."
"Make an attempt at humour once more, and I will tear your tongue off of you." Morgan threatened with an icy smile. The Mage of Flowers proceeded to shut up and tend to Andrew once more.
"I care more for my Kingdom than you would think. After all, my own Kingdom is being ruled by a brat who is no more than a Usurper." Morgan said with a hint of snideness.
"And I want nothing more than to protect what is rightfully mine." Morgan then made a more pointed stare towards Arturia. Who faced it unflinchingly. Credit to where it is due, Arturia was not the one who broke it first, rather it was Morgan who looked away.
"How is Camelot these days? I hear that it's nothing but a shadow of its former self these days." Morgan asked rhetorically. "And I cannot find any other reason than your farce of a rule and your incompetence. As I expected, you are not the best choice for the Kingdom"
"You are also to blame." Arturia countered her brows furrowed and her eyes glaring. "You convinced King Cynfarch to wage war the moment I took the crown. Our people have barely recovered from that tragedy yet you still persist with your claim."
"Because Camelot is mine to rule. It has always been." Morgan said with a low and dark voice. "My father in law fought for me because You are nothing but a bastard. A child born out of Merlin's schemes. I not only deserve the throne you sit on and the crown you parade around, it is my right."
"Your mother was merely married into the crown. Arthur over here has the true blood of the Pendragon line. Your 'claim' is superficial." Merlin added. Morgan turned towards her former teacher as if wanting to bite back with even more venom than before. But she realised that she was losing her temper without her knowing it. She needs to calm down, or else her whole plan will unravel right before her.
"We are distracting ourselves." Morgan said as she crossed her arms in impatience. "I came here to stop this coup, yet we are wasting time. Do you want my help, or not?"
"You have not given us a reason to trust you." Arturia answered back.
"Is the fact that my very own husband's life is at risk enough for a reason to you?" Morgan said defensively. Inside, however, she felt her pride crack into shards.
"Since when have you cared for Urien?" Arturia asked confusedly.
'Curse her perceptiveness,' Morgan thought to herself, 'If it were not for Merlin, Arturia wouldn't have been this sharp.'
Morgan could give a damn if that man died or not. All the more power to her, as she would become queen regent. She can't say that she's here to make sure that the plan to kill her sister stays intact, so what else could she say?
Suddenly, she felt something. Not physical, no. It was a pulse of mana. But it was not an attack, nor a spell, none of that. She felt this before… the hairs at the back of her neck rose up as if screaming at her. Like it was trying to tell her about an incoming danger, yet she cannot tell where.
"If you two are still at odds with each other, I highly suggest you settle it later. Because Lucius' mages have started the summoning." Merlin said as he handed Andrew to Caleb and Bedivere, who took this time to move the injured knight towards the exit.
"What summoning?" Morgan asked as she whipped her head towards her former teacher. She did not know that the Romans had the skill and knowledge to undertake such a feat. The Romans lost all semblance of magic and magecraft decades before the Western Empire's fall when Emperor Majorian died with the east East having no knowledge of such after Anastasius I banned the practice.
"They've managed to create a summoning circle." Merlin explained briefly before pointing towards the domed ceiling. Morgan and Arturia looked up towards the ceiling and saw what looked to be markings glowing red drawn on its surface. Currently, it is flickering at a gradual pace. But Morgan could tell that it was getting brighter and brighter as the seconds went by.
"My King!" Bedivere exclaimed from the exit. "We need to leave."
As soon as he said that, the ceiling shone a glaring ray towards the burning cross on the centre of the hub. The ground around the cross started to crack and groan as if a great object underneath was threatening to burst out. It was a threat that Arturia herself believed must be stopped first. She was about to say that she will stay, but Merlin placed a hand on her shoulder and said.
"Go with them, Arthur. We will handle this."
Merlin then went towards Morgan who was now facing the cross. Both now side by side as the cross and the ground under it started to bloat. As soon as Arturia and her men safely left the Central Hub, Merlin said.
"This is just like old times, no?" Merlin said as he smiled at Morgan. Morgan rolled her eyes as she replied.
"Our interests align only for this time," Morgan glared, which caused Merlin to flinch, "but once this is done, I'll have your head as consolation for the disgrace of talking to you again." Merlin wisely stopped talking after that.
BOOOOOOMMMM
The ground erupted upward. Causing debris of all sizes to fly in all directions. Merlin and Morgan were quick to react as the conjured up shields to protect them from the hits. A dark cloud of dust then covered the whole central hub.
SWOOOSHH!
The cloud of dust was suddenly blown away by a force of wind that came from the centre of the hub. It was not just any wind however, it was malevolent. The heat of the fire that came reared its ugly head once more as the air became a sickening red. The cross that was once standing tall now asunder. It was broken in fragments akin to sharp knives. The already torn apart torch splintered all the more.
However, none of that was in the concerns of the witch and mage. For there was a more pressing thing they focused all their attention on. It was a man. A man bent over with his faded grey hair touching the floor. His maroon cloak was covered with flames at the far ends, yet it didn't burn. Slowly, the man raised his head. His face was marked with blood red streaks that looked to start from his cheeks down to his neck. Even his hands are littered with the markings.
"It can't be…" Merlin whispered to himself. His shock seeped out of him like water from a dam. Morgan looked towards her former teacher and asked.
"Friend of yours?" Morgan asked as she lowered her shields.
"Close." Merlin quietly answered. His head went low ever so slightly. "He was like a brother to me."
The maroon cloaked man finally regained enough consciousness to make sense out of what he's currently seeing. In his point of view, he had been awakened after a long slumber. His memory was hazy, yet it was coming back to him as the seconds went by. He knew what he was here for, what had been done to him. He knew that he had no choice but to heed to the mission given to him. And he will obey. Begrudgingly, sure. But not before addressing the elephant in the room.
"It's been a while, old friend. I never thought I'd live long enough to see you again." The Maroon wearing man said. His smile was jaded and lacked life. However, some inkling of joy could be seen. That same smile would widen as the Mage of Flowers recognised the man and found himself distraught.
"What have they done to you, Stilicho?"
