Capítulo 31: Chapter 31
The Earth itself is nature, the beliefs of man allowing those which should not exist to exist. Or perhaps, it is simply the will of the world, but in any case, 'they' exist. Something that even the most practical of individuals couldn't refute; no matter how much mankind doesn't desire them.
Hidden in the shadows, waiting; adhering to that which drove them into secrecy.
They came from myth and folklore.
Beings of such immense strength that can reduce distant green fields and mankind's bustling utopias into a hell not worth living in.
Yet in the end,
They disappeared.
Driven into isolation by the will of man itself who didn't desire them. For after all, they were existences that shouldn't have existed, but remain because of the workings of the 'World.'
Man detests them.
But the 'World' needs them as its extensions and mediators of nature.
However, there was one Magus Family that focused the entirety of its mysteries towards the pursuit of Phantasmal Species. A concept deriving from the nature of that which is born through thought.
The Ashtons.
Later known as Beast Hunters for the numerous Phantasmal Species they captured for study in the earlier generations. Everything from appearance, defenses, and even attributes were researched extensively, creating a craft that allowed a magus to communicate in the language of Phantasmal Species. After all, none but the most intelligent of Phantasmal species could speak in human tongue, therefore it provided a breakthrough for the Ashton's in their mysteries.
Communication is the key to learning.
And with this specific magic, the Ashtons were able to directly question Phantasmal Species on certain factors in their field that they were uncertain of. Of course, this was only possible with the more reserved Phantasmal Species. The mindless one's though, were hopeless. But in any case, the knowledge they learnt from the mysteries of various Phantasmal Species couldn't be compared with what other Magi were learning in the era.
After all, most other Magi only have a lineage spanning five-hundred or so years, and cannot hope to compete with the mysteries accumulated by Phantasmal Species for thousands of years. Phantasmal Species existed even during the Age of the Gods.
But in any case, it normally would have had been impossible to capture such powerful Phantasmal Species. The reason was simple. How could a magus compare mysteries with a being whose ability is beyond one's comprehension? Those Phantasmal Species that have survived for so long possess even greater means as the power of a Phantasmal Species only increases with time.
This was a fact known clearly to the Ashtons. They could only praise their luck that most Phantasmal Species were intrigued when a Human was able to communicate with them. Just as the stories told of the nature of Phantasmal Species, not all were quick to action.
However, what was even more difficult was locating them.
The age of Phantasmal Species was declining and most were already choosing to leave from the history of mankind. The will of man didn't want them, and as they were beings made from the belief of man. they simply began leaving in accordance to the most secluded of areas.
Most Magi turned a blind eye to this phenomenon as it had long since begun in the past, but the Ashtons refused to do nothing. They were even well acquainted with a few Phantasmal Species and to suddenly see them disappear, it was a blow they refused to accept.
With the Ashton's understanding of Phantasmal Species, they developed the only method they knew to find them.
Hypnosis.
If they left because man didn't want them, then they would be found by a family's single-minded desire to find them. No thoughts of food, love, sleep, or anything substantial. Just a sole thought.
Where will I find you?
Even if everyone else wishes them gone, there will always be one family that will never wish so.
And you are the last surviving member.
Remember, for time has already run out.
The blue moon,
And the calling from the land of shadows.
Child, my child, my dearest little boy.
When the chill of winter crawls, and the clouds herald the coming of the cold, look within yourself. For a hero of old.
A deep sigh, mournful, but full of an unspeakable longing and grievance.
May the blessing of the stars be with you.
For I can hold them back no longer.
LINE BREAK
He woke with a start, beads of sweat traveling down his brow and pooling beneath his chin before dripping to the floor. Unbeknownst to him, his arms had been outstretched, as if reaching for something just out of his reach.
W-What just happened?
Opening and closing his hands, he sat up and observed the minute trembling in them as he shuddered.
Efret tilted its head while staring at him, attempting to determine what it was that was troubling him.
But unfortunately, Efret wouldn't be able to. After all, how could Efret understand something that even he, the afflicted, couldn't?
He shook his head, and then pulled off the worn covers over his body before stepping out of the make-shift bed of straw he was sleeping on in a chamber within the castle just acquired. From the moment the gates opened during yesterday's fight and Arturia and the rest charged in, the outcome of the battle was already sealed. After all, the enemies positioned within the castle were actually quite few as defending generally required less people to defend then to attack. This moto saved in human resources and should have been viable if he hadn't forcible opened the castle gates from the inside.
In any case, the castle was quickly captured, and Lord Adinak swiftly taking control of his lost assets after dealing with the Angles that had surrendered. Lord Adinak took no prisoners, the fates of those Angles something not too difficult to conclude.
In his case, he only clenched his hands and did nothing even if he felt compelled to vouch for the enemy's lives. However, doing so would not earn him any form of admiration. Instead, it could lower the others opinion of Arturia for having a First Knight that cared more for the enemy than the vengeance of those lost.
Therefore, he bore with it, insistent on only one thing. No matter how conflicted he was, he knew already that if he had to choose between giving up his ideals over Arturia, Arturia would always be the most important. For the woman who was able to capture his awe, respect, and heart within only a short time-span of two-weeks; setting him down towards the path to follow in what he believed in regardless of what others thought. All while never giving up searching for her.
Moon light trickled in from the arrow slits within the castle's battlements as he wandered out of bed. The sound of his steps echoed within the narrow passage as everyone else lay sleeping in the other rooms.
He couldn't sleep right now though. It wasn't that he couldn't, but his mind was working too quickly for him to have the time.
Stopping atop the castle's wall, he leaned his elbows over the top of stone defenses, peering up at the sky.
The blue moon.
Staring transfixed, it was almost as if the moon above was pulling him in. Dull circles of light around the moon seeming to flicker with trails of stardust.
The calling of the land of shadows?
Those words seemed to continue reverberating in his mind, causing him to fall into a temporary daze. Efret, perched on his shoulder remained silent, staring out ahead while staring seriously up at the moon.
A silent caw somehow seemed to sound in the stillness of the night.
His gaze shifting from the moon, to the man who he realized was sitting upon a stone near him.
The man had pale white hair and a cloak to match it that shrouded the entirety of his body. Said cloak had decorative patterns of blue, red, and gold lining the ends of the mantle he wore beneath the cloak.
This man was Merlin, and almost as if waiting to have been noticed, Merlin gave a nod in his direction. The black scepter-like staff normally in Merlin's hands was placed by the man's side, and just out of reach.
"Did you know that other than a Wizard, I was known as something else," Merlin said slowly, flattening his back against the wall and shifting his gaze in the distance. "They called me a 'Seer,' 'prophet,' and 'the man who understood all.'"
He waited for Merlin to elaborate, as he had no idea what it was Merlin had in mind.
"But did they not know, I'm not truly human?" Merlin said with a sigh. "I am of mixed-blood, and perhaps it was because of this that I had the ability of divination."
He listened silently once again, already knowing that Merlin's father was not human, but rather an Incubus. At least, he could use this reasoning to explain Merlin's womanizing ways, but he had spent enough time with Merlin to know that it wasn't just because of his heritage. Merlin was truly a womanizer, but he'd never say that to Merlin's face ever again after the way Merlin looked hypocritically at him last time.
He cleared his mind of such thoughts to listen intently to what Merlin had to say. Unconventional as the man was, there was a reason why Merlin was considered a wise man. Besides, when Merlin mentioned Divination, he had already become increasingly alert as well as interested.
"I can no longer see such divinations as the future is filled with endless possibilities, but I can say for certain about a single outcome," Merlin gave pause, his hands falling to rest by his lap. Taking in a breath, Merlin's eyes locked onto his with a certain seriousness Merlin had rarely displayed before.
"Pray for the blessings of the stars,"
It was those very same words he had already heard previously tonight. Yet different from when the voice of the woman spoke to him in his dreams, Merlin's tone was hard, leaving him baffled and unable to reply.
Closing his mouth, Merlin's complexion seemed to flush red before the man forcibly rid the colour from his face.
"From the reaction of this blood of mine, you are truly an Ashton," Merlin stated. "That Magus Family of Beast Hunters as known by the other Magi and myself. They were unique, their mysteries even more so, and just how they were able to establish contact with Phantasmal Species, still unknown. However, I can feel it. It's been several years since first we've met, but never has the Incubus blood within me reacted so strongly."
Eyes shifting away from him, Merlin stared up at the night sky.
"The Blue Moon rises, an opening to the Reverse Side of the World."
His heart froze hearing Merlin's mutterings.
The Reverse Side of the World. The plane of existence that retains the laws of the Age of Gods, housing Phantasmal Species instead of people. It was where the majority of Phantasmal Species in his time line disappeared to. However, his knowledge on this subject was never very thorough as he never had to deal with it.
"Even now those on the other side wish to re-enact the Age of the Gods," Merlin didn't appear to be speaking to him any longer. Instead, the man had a pensive expression on his face as he brought a thumb to the bridge of his nose. "Yet the Anchors in the world prevent them from doing so."
He lips thinned listening to Merlin before he too stared off at the moon.
"Yet the Ashtons…" Merlin shook his head as he grew serious; he then turning in his direction. "You must remember soon, for even I do not know the answer."
Saying that, Merlin disappeared, leaving him alone to mull over his thoughts.
He would remain in his position until the crack of dawn where he silently crept back to his straw bed near Arturia's and the rest.
However, he was fated to have no rest.
About an hour into his sleep, he felt a hand shaking him awake.
Blearily opening his eyes, he was met with Arturia's amused face. Dimples were present in her smile, and her gentle expression caused a sense of warmth to flow through him despite the grogginess of suddenly getting woken up.
"You're drooling," she laughed good naturedly, pointing near the edge of his left cheek. By now she'd seemed to have recovered from whatever was plaguing her mind about him in the past day.
He sighed before smiling up at her, wiping away the drool as Arturia extended a hand forward to help him up.
No one else was in the room. Merlin had never slept within, and Kay and Sir Ector were used to getting up early in the morning. After all, Kay was the official Knight who trained Arturia, but Sir Ector was actually the one to always watch out for her. Therefore, it was always the two who got up early since young to decide on the training of the day. Yet in this case, it was more for preparation should the enemy Angles attack. Although, if he were to use the common name for all of Britain's invaders by the inhabitants, they were all actually called Saxons.
In any case, he and Arturia were in the same room with Kay and Sir Ector because everyone within knew of Arturia's real gender. Having her sleep in the presence of others may risk exposing this secret, thus it was best that she slept in such arrangements. He was just a tad guilty for abandoning Bedivere to rest with others his friend wasn't acquainted with. However, sacrifices had to be made, and at least this was one of little concern.
Standing up on his feet, he watched silently as Arturia knotted her hair and willed her magical armour to equip onto her person. The blue and gold tinted robe she wore beneath was soon covered in polished steel.
Finished dressing up, she turned towards him with a pensive expression.
"What do you think we should do?" She ended up asking.
This was her first time leading, and he couldn't fault her for asking for advice. This was even more so when he considered the fact that he had been answering Arturia's questions since a young age. The introduction of spices and herbs, how to cast metal, and even the minor things in life, he had been able to answer them all with his knowledge.
He scratched at the back of his head while looking at how earnest Arturia was.
Honestly speaking, it was probably best to rely on the expertise of Sir Ector and Lord Adinak who were veterans when fighting in a battle field. Yet another part of him didn't want to disappoint her. Therefore, he thought about it, and eventually came to an answer that had some potential. His eyes gazed outside and towards the fast-moving river in the distance once more before he answered
"Let's build a moat," he said.
A moat was generally a large body of water that surrounded a castle in the medieval era to prevent enemies from both digging into the castle and reaching the castle's walls. However, this concept of a moat was first invented in the tenth to the eleventh century, several centuries away from King Arthur's rule in the sixth.
As expected, the expression on Arturia's face was one of confusion.
"What's a moat?" She asked.
"You'll see," he said as he briskly walked out, Arturia following behind him.
By creating the first ever moat around Lord Adinak's castle, it would completely prevent Saxon attacks as the Saxons would probably never have had experienced such a defense before. With the draw bridge raised, it would become almost impossible to reach the castle by normal means. This was good, as it was clearly going to become the base of operations for the counter attack against the Saxons in Lord Adinak's territory.
As he and Arturia were on their way out, they met up with Bedivere who had been waiting just outside of his sleeping chamber within the barracks in the castle.
Bedivere had an accusing expression on his face, and the accusation of 'you left me behind,' was quite clear.
But in any case, he apologized to Bediver before giving a warning to those nearby the castle that the ground may begin shaking and for no one to panic.
His warning only drew a curious brow from others, and even Arturia who began tapping a finger impatiently over her scabbard as she walked.
Other than Arturia and Bedivere, many of the other Knights stationed within the castle began to follow when they realized that he was up to something. Granted, he couldn't fault them as they were still mesmerized with his means in both archery, and how he had infiltrated a fortified castle so quickly.
Magic, was clearly the answer that most Knights in the castle and following Arturia came to. After all, before the Magi issued the orders to maintain secrecy in Mage Craft, it was fairly common for other people to know of it.
Stopping just outside of the castle's walls, he began his assessment.
"What are you going to do?" Arturia asked, voicing the opinions of everyone who'd followed.
And so, he answered simply.
"I'm going to dig a hole," he said, bewildering everyone.
While everyone was in a baffled state, he traced out a mystic code with explosive elements and swung it down to the hard ground in front of him.
Boom!
Gravel and bits of dust exploded in a small shroom of debris.
He coughed into his hand as a cloud of dirt covered him from head to toe. Yet, in front of him was a small crater that had formed as a result of his swing. Looking at it, he estimated how many swings he would have to take to make a moat large and deep enough to prevent others from simply wading through it.
Any thoughts he had about using a Noble Phantasm were completely illogical. They were weapons of massive power not suited for precise explosions to dislodge the ground before him. Instead, he worried that they may have a detrimental effect and completely reduce Lord Adinak's castle into rubble. By then, he would be completely at a loss as to how to explain for himself.
"Here," he said out of the blue as he passed a sword to Arturia. It was the very same explosive mystic code he had just used earlier. "Swing it around the castle walls and dig a ditch that around this deep."
He motioned with his fingers towards one spot of land, all the way to another to convey the distance.
However, Arturia was still in a daze as she stared at the mystic code in her hand. Everyone else he absently gave a copy of the mystic code to were in a similar state.
"D-Does this sword e-explode with every swing?" Bedivere asked in a state of awe.
Before he could even answer that question, one of the knights swung out as a test, staggering backwards from the explosion. Yet, there was a certain wonder in the Knights eyes as the Knight remembered what was instructed and enthusiastically began swinging at the ground around the castle walls.
Everyone else was silently staring at this Knight before Bedivere expression turned euphoric.
"M-Magic Sword!" Bedivere proclaimed, joining along with the Knight that was already hacking at the ground.
Many of the other Knights soon followed, eager to test the mystic codes in their hands.
Arturia though remained behind. Amidst the sounds of the explosions, she stared at him as he began walking towards the river in the distance.
Suppressing the curiosity of swinging around an exploding sword, she followed after.
"We already have enough water in the castle. Kay and Sir Ector already lead a group of Knights to obtain sever buckets worth," she explained as the two arrived beside the river.
"It's not going to be for drinking," he explained.
Using the explosive mystic code in his hands, he began carving a path from the river towards where the other Knights were in the process of making a giant gorge.
Arturia's eyes widened as she witnessed this and connected what it was that he was trying to do.
"A castle on a lake," she murmured in awe thinking about what the end result would look like. Her expression grew even more solemn when she realized that she couldn't think up of a means to easily breach such a defense. What was the use of battering rams and siege towers if one couldn't even reach the castle walls?
The innovation was not lost on her, and she stared at him as if she was looking at her greatest treasure.
And indeed, she was thinking along a similar line. It was her fortune to have him as her Knight. Her luck that brought him to her. And the trust between them that caused a rift to form over her emotions when she was with him.
Kay, and Sir Ector had spoken of love. The town girls had also spoken of love. But even now, she didn't know what it meant.
Was it the yearning she felt as she watched Shirou doing his all for her? Or was it the rapid beating of her heart whenever he was near?
A tender smile was working it way onto her face as she lost herself in thought.
Before she even knew it, she was by his side, helping him bridge the path for the water to flow from the river towards the moat the other Knights were almost finished building.
Sweat began to glisten on her brow because of the effort, and it didn't help that the sun was bearing down from the sky while she was in her armour. In any case, she didn't complain because as the King, she had to set forth an example.
The invigoration she felt when the water from the river began filling up the crater the other Knights created around the castle walls was hard to describe. The general appearance of the castle now truly made it appear to be a castle atop the water.
There was a hint of amusement in her eyes when she noticed Kay and another group of Knights who had remained within the castle gawking from atop the battlements. She couldn't help waving at him.
"I-Inconceivable," one of Lord Adinak's Knights said in awe. "Such a defense seems nigh impenetrable!"
The moral of the Knights increased to the point of cheers. No matter what, this castle would be safe from Saxon invasion. And from the food they'd stored inside the castle now, they wouldn't have to worry about remaining within for several weeks.
"Hail the King!"
The Knights cheered. For the action of building the moat was undertaken by her first Knight, and by extension, herself.
"Thank you," she whispered into Shirou's ear.
She didn't know if he understood what that thank you meant to her, but it conveyed everything that she wanted to say. There were too many expectations placed on her shoulders from the start, and she had no merits to prove herself. Therefore, even as she led her Knights, she felt a tad inadequate and slightly pressured to do something deserving of her title. And Shirou's actions were helping her do that, so she tried to convey this feeling the best way that she could.
And this stumped Shirou.
Because staring at Arturia's face, his emotions began to go haywire.
He wanted so desperately to hold her close, yet knew that he couldn't at the same time.
Therefore, he could only settle on patting Arturia's shoulder.
"No problem," he said softly. "Do with me as you will." I am yours.
There was a certain strength in his grip when he said this, and Arturia felt it, a shiver crawling down her back that caused goosebumps to appear on her arms when she stared at him. Rather than himself turning away to prevent her from seeing the emotion in his eyes, it was her who turned first.
Her appearance seemed demure, her shoulders no longer squared but hunched together, and head bowed low, face shadowed by her bangs.
The sight wasn't lost on the others in the area, but many attributed the action to the same elation they were currently feeling staring at the newly formed moat.
"Let's go," she whispered after composing herself. Yet, it was clear for him to see that the flush on her cheeks hadn't fully subsided. It was an appearance reminiscent of the days he spent with her in childhood when she felt embarrassed.
And it was this light expression on her face that he wished to protect. For a world where she could smile like so everyday rather than one filled with regrets and mistakes.
That was something he would die for without a second thought.
Following Arturia, he first entered the castle before her. As the moat consisted of water surrounding the entirety of the castle, they now needed a bridge to get across. Yet for him, all he did to reach the castle's entrance was to leap forward. Once on the other side, he took down the wooden gates of the castle and fastened them together with steel and other wood he had found in the area to make a bridge that spanned the entirety of the moat.
Arturia and the other Knights were then able to return to the castle. Oddly enough, despite how enthusiastic the Knights were upon getting to use a magical sword, their discipline didn't allow them to take it without his permission. As he had neglected this, the following night led to his room to be filled with around twenty copies of the explosive mystic code. In which case, he only sighed before dismissing them, unable to recall the specific Knights who had used them.
By the third day, Lord Adinak with the help of Sir Ector managed to fully complete all loose ends within the castle. Not only was Lord Adinak thrilled with the added moat, but the man had been quite proactive with it too; attempting to find a way to repay him at any cost.
But in any case, by the fourth day, it was time to discuss a plan of attack.
He found himself within the main strategizing room, an area within the castle with an open window and a round desk that Lord Adinak placed a map over.
Looking at this desk, and the way Arturia was staring at it, it became clear to him where the concept of using a round table appeared in Arturia's mind. For even as King, everyone still had the same level of seating.
The idea of a round table only became more fixed in her mind when Shirou was designated to sit directly next to her as her First Knight.
But on to other matters, Lord Adinak cleared his throat before speaking.
"I propose an attack here, and here," the man said while pointing to different markers on the map. "These two areas are the Saxons strongest fortified locations in my territory."
Sir Ector raised a hand to interrupt Lord Adinak.
"Doing so isn't very advisable," Sir Ector said. "By the time we gather our forces and mount an attack, the smaller Saxon encampments nearby would have had noticed that there was something wrong in this castle we had just captured a couple days back. Even now it's already been several days with no contact. Even if they don't know that we've occupied the castle, our enemies aren't stupid enough not to grow suspicious. By now, they must have sent messenger to inform those two places you've spoken of Lord Adinak. Therefore, they will be expecting us."
Lord Adinak fell into silent thought. With the words Sir Ector had just spoken, it was clear that they would be losing their advantage of surprise. Yet either way, it was impossible to keep up the pretenses anyway therefore he voiced his opinion. "It's impossible for them not to notice, therefore it's better to attack preemptively than to allow them more time to fortify themselves."
Lord Adinak turned to Arturia, the one who drew forth the Sword from the Stone and the true King of Britain.
"Your thoughts?" Lord Adinak asked.
Merlin, Sir Ector, Kay, and everyone else turned to face Arturia.
Arturia had to be given credit, she appeared calm when faced with such attention, but inside was a different story. She wasn't sure of what path to take.
"Uhm," she opened her mouth, then closed it, before furrowing her brows.
She agreed with what Lord Adinak had said, wanting to rush into battle to drive off the Saxons to stop them from causing any more deaths. However, Sir Ector had a point with his reasoning. Should the enemy be prepared for them, then the number of casualties in her hands would only increase. Above all, she didn't want that.
"I," she hesitated, and at that moment, she felt a hand place itself gently on her leg.
She looked up to see Shirou nodding towards her, giving her a sense of security.
Merlin who saw this interaction because of the angle of his position felt like ripping his hair out when he realized this move in Shirou's part had nothing untoward about it. However, how could he, as a womanizer, accept the fact that some other man who wasn't even an incubus could act so naturally against the opposite sex? He was growing increasingly irritated, especially remembering the time when Shirou attempted to reprimand him about the very topic of womanizing; saying that he'd only end up trapping himself in a world in which he would never be able to get out of. The nerve of this boy Merlin took as a student.
In any case, Merlin had to admit that Shirou's presence by Arturia seemed to have a calming effect on her.
"We attack," Arturia said decisively.
When the King speaks, no one speaks against it.
Sir Ector nodded, and Kay only grinned. Lord Adinak just sighed in relief.
"Then we best prepare now. The faster we strike, the better our odds," Arturia said mulling over what Sir Ector had advised.
Lord Adinak approved before frowning.
"With the number of Knights we have on hand, it'll take about another day to prepare, and several more to reach our destination. On top of that, we still have to decide about who amongst the Knights will stay to guard the castle," Lord Adinak advised.
"Time is still the issue," Arturia muttered with a complicated expression.
A fierce wind blew in at that moment, causing the curtains that hung from the walls to flutter as Efret appeared outside the large window of the room.
"Don't worry," Shirou said, standing up from his seat.
Walking towards the window, the others watched silently as Efret's size expanded, none but Lord Adinak gawking at the sight.
Thereafter, Shirou jumped onto Efret's back, a black bow appearing in his hands that caused Lord Adinak's mouth to dry remembering what Shirou could do with it.
"Then I will buy you that time,"
His voice drifted in the wind as he and Efret faded into the distance, Arturia's gaze never leaving until they were nothing but specs in the clouds.
In the lands of Lord Adinak, numerous Saxon encampments from Mercia were set up to maintain a steady control of the region before settlers could be brought to repopulate the land.
Therefore, these encampments were of vital importance as Mercia, out of all the Saxon settlements, was the fastest growing. Its borders were already in the very center of the island and expanding out in all directions. Wessex, its nearest competitor was already spreading its influence to the southern most part of the island.
In any case, Mercia's rapid expansion meant more death for the natives along with the emergence of more encampments. It was in such an encampment that was currently in a perpetual state of havoc.
"I-Its back!" A Saxon yelled in trepidation. "Take cover!"
A shadow cast itself upon the ground, the image of a Grim Reaper in the eyes of the Saxon's below.
From its mouth breathed a flame, a torrent of searing hell fire that reduced the encampment into burning cinders, ashes floating in the wind.
Groaning, Saxon after Saxon climbed their way out from the rubble. They had nothing left to hide behind now, their bodies marred grey from the cinders.
"Aart! Aart, damn it you can't have died!" A Saxon was wailing out at the top of his lungs while staring at a brother pinned beneath a pile of burning wood.
This shouting would be the end of him.
Like hawks diving from the sky, masses of sleek twisted steel rained, seared red from the friction in the air.
It was less than a second.
Almost instantaneous.
The Saxon who had just shouted coughed out blood, a twisted sword pierced through his chest that rooted him standing where he was even as he reached a hand out for help.
Yet it was already too late. The man died just like that.
The others were pale faced and were on the verge of breaking down. They would have had fought back, rushed madly if only just to land a 'good one' onto the enemy's face, but it was impossible.
The sound of bows firing travelled through the air, the Saxons that survived shooting up at the monstrosity before their eyes.
A flaming bird the likes of which none had ever seen.
And riding on top of it, legs spread shoulder width apart, and black bow drawn, was a hunter in leathers. The cold bronze eyes staring down from above were really too striking amidst the fiery flames of the mount. It was almost other worldly, something not meant to be possible except within fairytales.
Grown and hardened men trembled under that gaze.
It was almost as if no matter where one ran, so long as that gaze could see you, then you were as good as dead.
For the Rider of Flames cometh with a thunder, mighty bow in hand to smite the enemies before him.
The notoriety of this Rider of Flames was only growing, becoming a story of nightmares the Saxons would use on their children, but the person himself was unaware.
"Efret," Shirou called from the skies.
Efret merely grunted before twisting away from the approaching arrows. Thereafter, Efret ascended towards the clouds, outside of the Saxon's range.
"Let's go," he then said swiftly
Flapping its wings, Efret flew off across the sky, leaving the Saxons in a state of confusion but alive. Yet it was this mercy that was allowing such absurd rumours as the Rider of Flames to proliferate within Saxon ranks.
After all, he didn't kill every Saxon he encountered. Rather, he burned the encampments to the ground and eliminated the designated leaders of each encampment. Thereby cutting the head from the body, the rest unable to function cohesively. And this was enough for him.
This encampment wasn't the first that he had run into. In fact, he had been raiding all the locations specified in the map Lord Adinak had laid down previously over the round table. Starting from the furthermost stronghold, he began working his way down every key point, and striking erratically.
The enemy wouldn't be able to differentiate which encampment would be attacked next, and a sense of growing fear would have the added effect of stalling their movements. This fear would not only stall their movements, but it had the added effect of petrifying the other encampments and bases he hadn't even been to.
Even if the planned attack on the two strongholds Lord Adinak specified were to delay by another six days, nothing would change. After all, to fortify those two bases, more than likely, the commanders would call in men from the other encampments in the area. Yet, no Saxon would dare venture off from the cover of their encampments.
Stories of the Rider of Flames had already grown out of proportion due to hysteria in the surrounding encampments. To be caught in an open plain was just suicide. Many of the Saxons were now unable to stop themselves from swallowing in fear whenever a bird's shadow appeared in the horizon.
Even if he discovered what his actions were doing to the Saxons, he wouldn't do anything about it as it was to Arturia's benefit.
Circling in the sky, he and Efret raided no more than seven other encampments before circling back to Lord Adinak's castle. There, he discovered that Arturia and the rest had long mobilized and were on the march to the necessary strong holds.
From the sky, he could see the trail of dust left behind from the galloping horses in the distance, and at its front was Arturia. Donned with her helmet and flowing blue mantle, she with the rest of the armoured Knights revealed an imposing image.
The sounding of the horns, and the raising of the Coat of Arms.
A symbol of the charge.
In history, it was King Arthur that brought back the effectiveness use of mounted cavalry. And looking at the majesty she was displaying while on the move, it wasn't hard to understand why. In the first place, fully armoured Knights were hard enough to deal with, but an armoured horse on top of that? It would be a nightmare for the average foot soldier.
Gliding in the sky, Efret released a caw as it flew beside the galloping mounts.
Arturia's gaze turned to the side, and she gave him a nod.
He returned the gesture, conveying the completion of his task.
Thereafter, he patted gently on Efret's back, and the two sped forward to scout ahead.
Taking to the skies outside of view, he would be her eyes and ears to prevent danger from coming to the army of Knights. Furthermore, Arturia was severely lacking in ranged infantry at the moment, therefore that job fell onto him to fill.
It was why he was primarily using his bow as Arturia, Sir Ector, and Kay were enough for front-line fighters.
Spying ahead, he became stupefied with what he saw.
He had only begun attacking encampments in the past several days as Arturia used the time to prepare. However, even he was rendered speechless; unable to foresee the extent of the results he had obtained after attacking multiple Saxon encampments. Said encampments had all sent for aid, something the strongholds Arturia was targeting couldn't sit idly by and do nothing.
Therefore, said bases sent out their men to find out what was going on.
This leading to the current situation where an army of Saxons was marching in the middle of an open plains by a forest's clearing. Judging by their expressions, they had no idea that Arturia was coming with her mounted cavalry.
Expression growing calm, he and Efret circled around to convey the information they'd just obtained.
LINE BREAK
Algar Baecc was the commander of the army of Saxon's deployed to investigate the sudden influx of panic that had befallen the nearby encampments by the stronghold.
He wasn't as foolish as to believe the horse-shit the men around him were spewing about a Rider of Flames. In fact, he was more inclined to behead such men for spreading undue apprehension, causing a plummet in morale.
But he couldn't do so. After all, an army wouldn't be an army with only a hundred men. Too many have had already fallen into a state of apprehension. To discipline them meant the loss of the entire army aside from the hundred men he knew most loyal to him.
Shaking his head, Algar couldn't get rid of the growing suspicion in his heart. It was only a couple hours ago when he vaguely saw it. Flying high within the clouds, a figure of a man on a large bird.
He spat on the ground in displeasure when he considered that even he was beginning to get affected by the nonsense his men were spouting. To begin with, that image was something he spotted off the edge of his vision, and could have had been nothing more than a regular bird.
However, his honed senses were still warning him of something.
"Hold," he shouted.
Every Saxon in the area stopped at his command.
"We'll set up a camp here and move out tomorrow morning," Algar decided.
The open plains surrounded by forest that they were in right now was an ideal resting location. Should any animals come to attack, they would see them from miles away. Of course, this was the same for any enemy, and this helped to assuage the suspicion in Algar's heart.
Listening to the chatter of his men as they began setting up camp, Algar only grew more irritated. All talk only seemed to revolve around a single topic of the Rider of Flames.
"Enough with you all!" Algar fumed. "We're grown men, not children afraid of fairy tales, and you,"
Algar glared at a particular man.
"'God of the sky' your head!" Algar punched the man in the face, causing spittle to rain over the gawking masses. "There is no God that our weapons cannot cause to bleed. Swords and arrows are our greatest allies, and you fear a man who hides away from danger atop a bird?! Is this not the work of Loki messing with your heads?"
The Saxon army looked down dejectedly at Algar's scolding. The majority of Anglo-Saxons were pagans, worshipping Gods that controlled a particular part of everyday life: the family, growing crops, love, healing, wisdom, metalworking, the weather, war, day and night, and so on. Loki was just a more famous Pagan God, and his was the domain of trickery and cunning.
"Look at you all," Algar spoke in a pressing tone. "Where are the hot-blooded men who charged with me to kill hordes of enemies in tribute to Tiw, Woden, and Balder? Where have they gone?"
None spoke in that moment; the many who were afraid of rumours feeling regretful as they stared into the eyes of their fellow brothers.
"Speak not of this any further," Algar said. "Hurry and set up camp before day light ends."
The Saxons nodded one by one, the area in silence as they all began working meticulously.
Algar released a sigh as a close aide offered him a beast-skin sack of water made from animal's stomach good for storing such liquids. He drank gratefully. Wiping the excess moisture away from his lips, a sinking feeling took root within him when he felt a vibration in the ground. It had only been for an instant, and it wasn't very noticeable, but with his senses warning him of danger, he reacted immediately.
"Quickly, give me that!" Algar said hastily, grabbing back the offered sack of water from the aide.
Furiously digging a small crater into the ground with his axe-hammer, Algar emptied the water into the crater. It wouldn't take long before the water would fully seep into the soil, but that wasn't Algar's main concern. Rather, it was the unmistakable sight of the water's surface rippling.
Something large was approaching. Something big.
"Men!" Algar called out, but even before then, his eyes spotted the flag in the distance.
And that was no Saxon flag.
"Enemy attack!" He called out.
It was too sudden, and no one was in any form of readiness as they stared blankly at the cavalry that appeared in the distance.
"Shit," Algar cursed. "Defensive formation!" He called out.
Even as stupefied as the Saxon's were at the moment, their experience still forced them to do the basic movements. However.
"Spears damn it, why aren't the spearmen in front?!" Algar yelled.
Almost the only group of men that could withstand a cavalry charge were spearmen who could kill the horse before the rider even got close.
Algar's shouting, despite being the correct instructions, only made the confusion worse as the spearmen pushed past the others in the formation.
It was almost a complete mess, but the training of each individual finally allowed everything to be in place.
The spearmen at the front readied their spears, pointing them forward just below their waist line to impede the cavalry's charge.
Yet all hell broke loose at the next moment.
A flaming bird appeared in the horizon atop the clouds, a bowman atop its back.
Algar and every Saxon man, froze at that moment. After all, it was like seeing the monster beneath one's bed. Always told that it wasn't real, only for it to show up in your face with all its imposing glory.
The Rider of Flames.
He who was the destroyer of the Saxon encampments in the area appeared.
And with it the thunder of a noise that would forever haunt the Saxons present.
It was the sound of buzzing as an innumerable number of twisted swords shattered the line of spearmen at the front.
Even then, amidst the rain of arrows from the Saxons fired at the Rider of Flames in retaliation, the flaming bird dived low and doused the archers in a torrential blaze.
Algar stared at all of this numbly even as the cavalry was fast approaching.
What was he supposed to do?
He had never met with such a situation before, and admittedly, terror was beginning to well up from within him. They were being suppressed from both the sky and the ground, and even with all his years of experience, he could come up with nothing to turn this around.
It made no sense!
Algar clenched his fists. Just where did the enemy obtain such forces and power? Lord Adinak and his Knights were already on the brink of defeat, so how?!
It was a question that was driving Algar mad, yet it was answered in the next moment.
The return of the King.
An appearance whose disposition spoke of regality. The thick blues, and hues of red and gold, that billowed upon a mantle in the wind causing no room for doubts.
Uther, wise King of Britain had fallen long ago, a successor unchosen, the throne left vacant.
Merlin the Wizard, and the original advisors and Knights to the King, long missing.
But no longer.
For one with the disposition of a King was leading the charging cavalry.
Only a King could command such a force.
Only a King could command that rider in the sky.
And this King was undoubtedly right before him.
Algar no longer hesitated. Even if this was just a speculation, it deserved to be reported as something much more.
"Retreat!" He ordered. No matter what, so long as one man from his army could survive, word would spread to the King of Mercia, and with the King's divine power, there must be a way to overcome this trial.
The resulting confrontation was messy at best.
The vanguard stood no chance to the King's charge, and the cavalry pierced a line straight through them. Those who had been at the rear were quick to disperse under his instruction, but even then, that damnable Rider in the sky was sending out a hail of arrows. It was to the point that the fear he had developed towards this Rider of Flames was driving him to hysteria. Even if he feared the King charging with cavalry in hand, he was more terrified of the unknown. And a man riding a top a flaming bird was more than enough to petrify him.
Even still, his legs carried him forward. For the sake of the forming country his people were building.
"Head for the trees!" He shouted. Once there, at least the heavy foliage would cover them from the sight of the Archer above. Thereby, increasing the odds of more people getting away.
Almost as if the charging King could read his mind, the King's cavalry split off into smaller groups to pursue.
"This bastard," Algar cursed under his breath, but there was nothing he could do.
These smaller groups of cavalries rounded up those who were trying to escape and trapped them into the plains. Algar was no exception, however, he was more determined.
When he reached the edge of the forest, and a cavalry Knight pinned his arm down by a spear, he gritted his teeth before sacrificing his arm to get away.
The following Knight was stunned by the action, and by the time the Knight composed himself, Arturia had already issued the order to gather.
LINE BREAK
From the skies, Shirou and Efret descended, Shirou jumping off Efret's back when the ground was close enough.
Upon his arrival, the expressions on everyone's faces were reverent in regards to King Arthur's First Knight. Not only did he take out the spearmen that could completely hinder a cavalry's charge, but he took out the bowmen as well. And this fact was also attributed to Efret who many of the Knights present were now offering their thanks and food.
Efret had shrunk down to a smaller form, and as such, was enjoying the attention. Well to be honest, it probably had more to do with the food.
"Good work," Arturia greeted him with an elated tone.
Her mannerism was no different from a man's by this point. Therefore, he could at least understand why others like Bedivere hadn't connected any dots for her true gender.
"A couple got away," he reminded her.
"No matter," Kay spoke. "We are on horseback while they are on their feet. We can catch up if we just follow the signs the enemy leaves behind."
Arturia approved of Kay's reasoning. At the moment though, it was important that she feed the flames of morale that were currently swelling high within her men.
"Victory!" She screamed.
The other Knights beside her began cheering in unison.
Lord Adinak was the most fervent. It had been years since the last time he had tasted such a victory that he was already harboring thoughts of chasing the enemy. It was simply too refreshing now that he was no longer on the defensive.
But at that moment, Merlin's eyes narrowed.
The famed Wizard had been near the back of the group, but Shirou had always made sure to take Merlin's reactions seriously. And Shirou had noticed Merlin's eyes narrow.
Thinking about it, there weren't very many things that could cause such a reaction from Merlin, and the most recent had been the night atop Lord Adinak's castle walls.
The blue moon.
And a passage to the Reverse Side of the World.
Arturia and everyone present stiffened.
A chittering noise that buzzed perpetually in their ears.
"W-What is that?"
The question was on everyone's minds.
Despite the noise and chaos of the battlefield after victory, this distinct sound somehow continued to echo within the air.
The high pitch of it was causing a sense of trepidation Lord Adinak and his men had never faced before. This was the same for Sir Ector and the rest. That feeling of bugs crawling over one's skin; this was what they were all feeling as the noise grew louder.
Only Merlin seemed to have any idea of what was going on, but by the frown on Merlin's face, it was far from good.
As for himself, even he didn't know what was going on.
One moment everyone was celebrating a hard-earned victory, and in the next, the area was plunged into a tense silence. Only their breathing could be heard over the overbearing chittering noise.
Scree
Scree.
The sound was reminiscent of rats hissing at each other with their yellowed teeth. Biting and snapping, the soft din of teeth gnashing together.
Everyone was darting their heads back and forth by this point, looking for the source. Any pleasant thoughts these men once had about their recent victory swiftly fled from their minds. All that mattered was ascertaining what sort of danger the sudden noise may bring.
It was in that moment that Arturia's face seemed to pale almost instantly; her fearless appearance on the battlefield shattering away as her expression grew increasingly frightened. She couldn't help it. Even grown up as she was now, there was still an illogical fear for things she had once considered child-hood nightmares.
The contours of her mouth opened and closed stiffly as she tried to force herself to speak.
"K-K-Kay!?" She stuttered out while looking towards Kay who stood beside her with a face that spoke of betrayal.
Kay was confused, but that changed the moment his and everyone else's gazes shifted to where Arturia had once been looking.
"No fucking way," Kay said in disbelief.
From the forest adjacent to the open plains a hundred feet away from them, one tiny critter appeared after another; peaking their head through the underbrush before stepping out into the light.
Teeth as sharp as daggers.
Skin, a sickly green.
And beady black eyes that were narrowed into slits.
Leathers covered their bodies from head to toe, tough and scraggily long hairs growing from their chests and arms.
"Y-You said they weren't real," Arturia whispered.
Arturia's voice was a tad pitched as she tried and failed to calm her nerves while talking to Kay. Efret was one thing to Arturia as Merlin explained that it was a sort of magus's Familiar, but what she saw in front of her now couldn't possibly be a Familiar.
Well, she was right at least.
Lips thinning into a thin line, he didn't know when Efret suddenly appeared beside him; feathers alight with a fierce flame as it cawed in warning.
Just as described in legends and folklore,
There right before him,
Was an entire group of Goblins that only seemed to continue growing.
In the next moment, all of their eyes shifted towards them.
More specifically,
Him.
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