Magic, Baby! Magic! (NasuFate - Artoria Pendragon SI Chapter 8)

I brought my arm up holding my Heracles Sword, and swung down. A small rush of wind, a whistle as the sword cut through the air, and a whoosh after the motion was done. There was a small line in the ground before me, showing the sword's trajectory. It didn't extend far, showing my swings weren't strong enough yet.

"One thousand," I said with a huff. My voice dull and bored.

I wasn't moping. Really, I'm not, but realizing that my sweet ass breedable hips of a sister, was actually-logically-married, set me in a bit of a bum mood.

...Wow is puberty hitting me hard.

I switch Mamadoze to my other hand, and began my exercise again. One thousand one-handed sword swings.

"What are you doing?" Merlin appeared, pink petals burst around to signal his arrival, and then disappear into magic mote dust.

"Training."

"How is this training?"

"I can bring out Mamadoze's explosive power no problem. I'm already used to using it now, but I need both hands to do it. I'm training to do it one-handed, so I don't get limited." I explained.

"First, the sword is named Marmyadose," Merlin smiled and rubbed his chin. "Second, well, at least your not practicing impractical things, like trying to swing a sword with your feet like you used to. Or with your teet-"

"Oh no, I still do that." I nodded, then threw Myarmadoze up, swing my leg up, and used a Wind Spell to simulate a magnetic effect to bind the sword's handle to my sole. "Hyah!"

I kicked my leg horizontally, making a small wave of wind, from the force of it.

"Of course, she's still doing it." Merlin facepalmed.

I disconnected the Heracles Sword from my foot, caught it, and grabbed the handle with my teeth.

I let out a muffled cry, as I moved my neck so that I'm slashing downward. While there was a slight whistle in the air, of doing a slashing motion with the sword, there weren't as much power behind the attack to my satisfaction. Yet.

"You do realize no one will take a king seriously, when they do ridiculous stuff like that." Merlin deadpanned.

"Woosh maah hehequhesh. Hee? Oo daa gay foo dyeya fuom ma hehequhesh hetm?" I stated proudly.

Translation: "Whose more ridiculous. Me? Or the guy who dies from my ridiculous shit?"

"Don't talk with a sword in your mouth." Merlin said back.

I huffed out the sword, and caught it with my hand, continuing my one-handed sword exercise once more.

"Anyways," I continue. "What's up?"

"I am so glad you didn't speak like that in front of the guests. I can't believe I'm the one worried about appearances." Merlin shook his head. "Regardless, a few things I suppose. Starting with, are you still sulking?"

"I'm not sulking." I frown, not pout, as I swing the blade down, and bring it up again.

"You're still disheartened that Morgan is actually a married woman." He pointed out.

"I'll get over it." I sighed. "It's fine, these things happens. Either way, it just means I now have to go back to focusing on my kingly duties, rather than chasing after fair maidens, and all that."

"In no way can that phrase be used to refer to that witch, but sure." Merlin said, before gaining a sly look. "Although, I could help you out in this instance."

My eyebrow raised in suspicion at his tone. "How exactly?"

"I could offer you the same solution your father used to bed your mother." I felt discomfort and dread at that statement, but gestured for him to continue out of morbid curiosity. "I could cast a spell so you take the form of her husband, so you may spend a night with her-"

Merlin instantly shut his mouth, and before I noticed I had thrown my sword, and it stuck into the wall next to his head. He stared at it with wide-eyes, even though I knew he had already made an illusion spell, and moved away the moment my arm moved.

The Merlin next to the sword dissolved into petals, and another one appeared next to me.

"Sorry about that. Reflex." I said quickly. "Also, Merlin, what the hell?" I said, using the recall spell on the sword to make it fly back to me.

"What's wrong? It's how your father charmed your mother!" He said in a panicked voice.

"One. Wow, my image of my father just completely shattered. Two, fuck no, Merlin. NTR is a trash fetish!" I said with conviction.

"'N.T.R.'?" He tilted his head.

"Cuckolding. Coveting another man's wife. Seriously, no. Just no to the whole thing." I shook my head. "Honestly what you just said was so disturbing that it shocked me from my moping. Thanks for that."

"Not what I was intending but I will gladly take credit for it."

I snorted. Is it weird that I'm not as mad as I should be? Maybe it's because it is something from the previous generation, something from so long ago? Or maybe I just wasn't that attached to my parents in this life? I barely even remember them, and what I know about them is from second hands account.

I shook my head, deciding to move on, rather than dwell on something, I could do nothing about.

"Anyways, what else did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"It's about Caliburn." He said, to which I gave him a blank look. "The Sword of Selection, the Sword in the Stone."

"Oh, Logres." I nodded.

"Yes, you do need to head there to assert you identity, and prove you're the One True King." He explained.

"Wouldn't going there after saying I'm going to be busy, makes me look less credible? Also I still don't know how dangerous the Picts are, and if I should focus on them or not." I've already made up my mind to go fight them. The magic blood analysis Merlin gave me, basically all but spells out that, the Picts' bodies are made of interconnected magic molecules that try and replicate themselves on anything they over take.

Basically? Magic nanomachines, son! Fuck yeah, that's cool.

And yes they are also a dangerous threat, being a potential grey goo situation and all that.

"You've already made up your mind to go fight them, didn't you?" Merlin deadpanned.

"Whaaa! Me? No! Come on, Merlin, you know I'm more responsible than that." I'm not sure, but from his eyes, I don't think he was buying it. "I'm waiting on a scouting report from Fou before I deciding anything."

"Riiight." Merlin said in a dry tone, before sudden perking up in surprise. "You're sending Cath Palug on scouting missions?"

"Well, yeah." I smiled and shrugged. As if on cue, Fou appeared in a swirl of green and blue fire. "How nifty is that?" I pointed at my awesome squirrel spy.

"Fou, fou!" He shouted urgently.

"Merlin, a map!" I order, to which Merlin thankfully acted serious, and projected a miniature England with mountains and rivers, etc.

"Fou, fou kyu. Kyu, kyu fou. Ha fuu, fou! Fou fuu'n, ho ha kyuu, kuu, fou, fou!" Fou began to gestures at parts of the map, especially the Isle of Man.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm." I listened intently. This was more serious than I thought.

"You do realize I can parse only some of what he's saying by intentions, but I don't actually have a clue what he means, right?" Merlin injected.

"Hmm?" I looked up before what he said caught up. "Oh, right! Uhh, so," I began to gesture and translate what Fou said. "He's saying basically that while the Picts are interconnected, they are all individual entities. But that connectivity allows them to relay information between each other near instantly, that's why you can only take out one group, or tribe, before the rest have moved on, or immobilized. He also explains that, while killing them, well, kills them, their corpses need to be burned while they are empty of magic, or when one of their chieftains or king, takes over an area they once had, they can reabsorb those slain men for knowledge and as a power up." I look up trying to convey how serious this situation was. "Basically as long as the chieftains or king are around, they can Piccolo this shit to victory."

"I have no idea what that is." Merlin replied.

"Oh, right," I took some moments to explain the concept of Namekians to him, and why that makes the Pict King dangerous.

"Ah, I see." He nodded. "Add in that ability to assimilate their slain foes to make more soldiers, and them altering the environment around them that they settle in, or rather conquer." Merlin now had a serious look in his eyes. "They are changing the Texture as they move over it to that of the Reverse Side. They might be a legitimate threat to the Human Order."

"The what and the what?" I tilted my head.

"A lesson for another time, as we seem to have a guest." He looked at one of the entrances to the training ground. "Is there something you wished to discuss with his majesty, Sir Agravain."

From behind one corner of the entrance, came a knight in black on black armor, with an expression what I could only describe as Eternal Resting Bitch Face.

"Apologizes, I hadn't wished to interfere with your discussion and thought to wait, before I approached." Agravain explained.

"Bullshit, but I'll allow it." I nodded.

"Arthur." Merlin hissed at me.

"What? There aren't any guests here, besides he's a knight. I'm sure he heard worse." I said back.

Agravain simply nodded, then approached and look at the map.

"It's interesting that you focused on the threat of the Picts immediately. Most lords tend to ignore them, as while their armies are small and seemingly uncoordinated, tending to retreat a lot, they do pose an imminent threat." He looked from the map to me. "It seems my mother was right in my assessment of your cunning mind."

I didn't want to seem rude but... "I'm sorry, whose your mother? I'm not sure if I know of her or not."

"Sir Agravain is Lady Morgan's son, your majesty." Merlin said with a small smile, as if he expected something funny.

"Yes, although I might be the son of a witch, I hope that doesn't change your assessment of my skill as a kni-Why are you looking at me like that?" Agravain said warily.

"...You're my nephew?" A smile was slowly breaking on my face. There was a feeling in my chest that can't be contain.

"...Yes?" He took a step back.

"NEWPHEW!" I jump up in joy and tackle hugged him. "LET ME SPOIL YOU!"

"AAAH! GET OFF ME!"