章節 1108: Foundation
After a series of events, some unique, some peculiar, and some intimate, Vahn found himself holding the crying Sakura in his arms as Rin watched on with an apologetic smile. They were currently at the airport, just before the security checkpoint, when Sakura finally learned that her Otou-sama wouldn't be coming on the trip with them. As a result, Vahn was cradling her in his arms, lightly patting her back so she would stop crying. Though they had only spent a few days together, with him being elsewhere for most of that time, Sakura had already grown attached to him. The moments they were together as a family were some of her most precious memories and, knowing that they would be apart, Sakura felt like she had done something wrong as she wet the left side of his chest with her snot and tears...
Ignoring a few empathetic looks from the surroundings, Vahn continued to pat Sakura's back as he whispered, "Everything is going to be okay...calm down now...your Otou-sama won't just leave you and your Okaa-chan. He has some important stuff to take care of, but that doesn't mean he will be leaving Sakura-chan's side..." Though it probably would have been better to tell her about the Space-Time Orb earlier, Sakura simply wouldn't understand its function until Rin taught her how to use it. They would be flying on a private jet, courtesy of the Edelfelt family, so Sakura would have plenty of time to learn how to use it during the twelve-hour flight to London.
With an expression that showed doubt and sadness, Sakura sniffled a few times as she asked, "You promise...?" In response to this, Vahn showed an affectionate smile, placing his forehead against Sakura's as he answered, "The world your Otou-sama and Okaa-chan live in is different from normal. You will learn quickly that you are someone very special, my little cherry blossom...I would not lie to you so just listen to your Okaa-chan and you will understand that I am never apart from you...okay?" Since he couldn't exactly talk to her about Magecraft in the middle of a crowded airport, Vahn could only be vague as he tried to console this precious surrogate daughter of his...
Though she didn't seem convinced, Sakura still nodded her head before holding up her tiny hand and saying, "Promise..." This caused Vahn to smile as he brought his own hand up, seeming massive by comparison, linking his pinky with her's as he said, "I promise..." As if he had said the magical words, Sakura's face formed a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and she wiped away her tears an intoned an affirmative 'Nn~!'. Then, after a bit more coaxing, Sakura returned to Rin's embrace as the two proceeded through the security checkpoint, annoying a few people since they were allowed to skip the line due to their VIP status. In the distance, Vahn gave a nod towards Gray, earning a small smile from her through the veil of her hood as she stood behind the waiting Lord El-Melloi II, Flat, and a few other people from their faction...
For a solid ten minutes after everyone had vanished beyond his sight, Vahn followed them through his domain until they boarded a small private jet on a smaller runway. Though most people would have some issues trying to get flight clearance, high ranking members of the Magus Community were able to bypass such things with extreme ease. Since their travel was often spontaneous and off the books, mostly to avoid having curses and attacks planned against them, the time between boarding to takeoff was only thirteen minutes total. By then, Vahn was walking out of the airport with Alaya floating at his side, nodding her head in response to him saying, "Do not hesitate to use your stored Magical Power to protect them. If it isn't something you can resolve in accordance with the restrictions you are placed under, just teleport them back to my side. I'll deal with the aftermath myself..."
Anticipating 'something' to go wrong while he was apart from Rin and Sakura, Vahn had spent a full seven hours meditating while Alaya drained his blood under the watchful eyes of Fenrir and Circe. As a result, she had a store of nearly three-million units of Magical Power when added to what she had previously drained from him. Though this actually wasn't all that much, as she had revealed that the Greater Grail had upwards of a five-quintillion units stored within the system for the purpose of granting wishes. This was a bit of a shock as, with how powerful his Source Energy was supposed to be, Vahn never expected the Greater Grail to store so much energy in only a sixty year time period. After all, if he let Alaya drain him at the same rate as his replenishment, this meant it take him nearly four-hundred years to provide her as much energy as a Greater Grail...
Though it was a little foolish of him to compare himself to something like a planet's Leyline, Vahn felt that there must be some 'loss' due to Alaya's inability to actually process his Source Energy. She was likely only processing the unique energy that was always present within his blood, something that Vahn still didn't fully understand. He knew it wasn't the component of Source Energy, as it had been a part of him prior to obtaining The Path. At the same time, regardless of the form and race he took, to the point of changing the basic composition of his blood and molecular structure, Vahn knew he couldn't remove the 'unique' qualities from his blood. He really needed to spend some more time trying to understand exactly what his blood was as, even after reaching the age of 156, he still had a *sealed* race within his status that even Sis had no understanding of...
Now that he no longer had any reason to stay in Fuyuki, Vahn's mind was racing with thoughts of what he needed to accomplish over the next ten years. The highest priority would be increasing his own strength and knowledge but, in order to accomplish this, he needed a place where he could train and conduct his research in peace. Fortunately, he had a Teacher like Scáthach on his side and, even though Paracelsus would probably never make any 'true' breakthroughs into unlocking the secrets contained within his blood, Vahn believed the legendary Alchemist would be able to at least match Terra's accomplishments. As for everything else, he could fill in the blanks by summoning other Heroic Spirits by taking into consideration the needs of his yet to exist organization...
Thinking of the future, Vahn quickly moved through the crowded streets, quickly breaking from the pursuit of a few members of the Holy Church that had been following them to the airport. When he entered into a side alley, Vahn vanished by having Alaya teleport him as his own means would leave traces that could be followed. As a result, a man and a woman appeared in the alleyway a few seconds after he had vanished before pulling out their cell phones and immediately reporting their failure to track him. With this last sighting, Vahn vanished from Fuyuki City entirely, sending a few ripples through the upper echelons of the Holy Church and the Mage's Association who had been intending to pull him into their ranks...
---
Appearing within the underwater compound that had been created by Paracelsus, Vahn looked around to see that everyone was already gathered. Tristana was standing at the side of Paracelsus, using his body as a meatshield against the gazes of the other girls in the room. To his credit, the handsome Alchemist continued to show a calming smile, even though Fenrir had been glaring at him for some time now. Fortunately, things weren't that tense elsewhere in the room as Astolfo, Catherine, Nobuna, and Lakshmibai were having a lively conversation at the side. When Vahn appeared, Astolfo was the second person after Fenrir to notice him, immediately raising his gloved hand and exclaiming, "Yo! Vahn is here everyone~!"
Though they had noticed Vahn shortly after Astolfo, everyone still turned their attention towards him after the latter's outburst. Artoria and Lakshmibai almost synchronously greeted, "Welcome back, Master." while Fenrir and Circe naturally gravitated to his side. Nobunaga also walked over, asking, "So, got any ideas about where to build our base? This place doesn't seem all that bad." With her moving over, Vahn quickly found himself surrounded by everyone, including a now able Catherine who was walking around with an ornate cane. She gave a polite nod after reaching a comfortable speaking distance, saying, "It is good to see you, Sage Emperor..." in a soft tone.
Of everyone present, the only groups that didn't move to surround Vahn were the duos of Tristana, Paracelsus, and Illya, Heracles. The latter had Illya sitting on Heracles' shoulders as he towered over everyone else in the room with an intimidating aura. When she saw Vahn, Illya gave a small wave but, not fond of being around others all that much, she made no effort to join the small crowd gathered around him. Vahn gave her an acknowledging nod and a calm smile before turning his attention to Catherine and saying, "It is good to see you. After we move, I'll finish treating your condition." Then, in response to Nobunaga's question, Vahn answered, "I have a few places in mind but I'm open to ideas if anyone has a special need or preference..."
In preparation for the move, Vahn had asked Alaya for information regarding potential locations for establishing a base. She had quickly informed him that almost every Spiritual Land and Leyline had already been claimed by the Mage's Association and Holy Church. Though it was possible to take one by force, this would be the same as declaring war on whichever organization had laid claim to the area. Since that was counter-intuitive to his intentions, at least for the time being, Vahn had asked about other potential locations. As a result, his current intention was to take over a small island off the west coast of Africa. It had previously had a small community of around 2300 residents but, due to overfishing and the expanse of a large algae colony, the area had become a 'dead zone' where fish and other marine life had virtually been wiped out.
As the knowledge provided by the Holy Grail didn't exactly include detailed geological information and the current political climate of the world's countries, the only person to answer Vahn was Astolfo, boldly stating, "I think it would be best to establish a base around the British Isles or Ireland~! With the exception of Nobu-chan, most of our origins can be traced to that area. Who knows, we might get some kind of super amazing benefits from being near our homeland~? Also, I really want to see how the world has changed over the last twelve-hundred years. At the very least, I want to visit France~! Also, also, won't you feel better if you're closer to Sakura-chan and Rin~?"
Vahn was a little taken aback by how excited Astolfo was but, before he could answer, a soft voice spread through the room, saying, "I believe Duke Astolfo is correct. Both Artoria and I would be able to draw power from Britain as it is the closest physical location to Avalon. The same should be true for Lady Scáthach if you decide on Ireland as the location for your base..."
Following the voice to its source, Vahn saw Merlin standing next to Paracelsus' workstation, a gentle smile on his face as he poked a vial full of purple liquid. This caused Tristana to startle, exclaiming, "How the hell is everyone able to just teleport into our base without setting off the alarms...!?" Since she had double-checked all of the magical relays after Vahn previous 'visit', Tristana was frustrated to know that her best efforts meant nothing before people like Vahn and this new arrival.
As if he hadn't even heard Tristana's outburst, Merlin continued to stare at Vahn, adding, "I know a good spot, if you're willing to trust me. It gets a bit chilly this time of year, but I believe it will be an excellent choice for a base. Spiritual Lands and Leylines are not the only suitable locations to build a stronghold...sometimes a location with a bit of 'mystery' is the most ideal~." Though he was being roundabout, the fact that Merlin specifically used the word 'mystery' immediately made up Vahn's mind. This implied that the place Merlin had in mind had been around since the Age of Gods or, at the very least, represented the burial grounds of where a Phantasmal Species had died.
In the Common Era, dating back two-thousand-fourteen years to the present, the most powerful influence in the world were Laws related to the Physical and Quantum realms. Prior to the Era of Man, the true name of the Common Era, the most powerful Laws at play were those related to Mystery and the Primary Elemental Forces. When the Gods were forced to retreat to the Reverse Side of the World at the end of the Era of Gods, most Mystery in the world had vanished with them. As all Magecraft and Thaumaturgy relied on aspects of Mystery and their constituent Laws to manifest, any place where Mystery was strong served as perfect grounds to build a stronghold. After all, with few exceptions, using True Magic wasn't even possible outside of an area where the Laws of Physics were more influential than the Laws of Mystery. It was for this reason that most Magi disdained Science and Technology as, with time, it would lead to the inevitable decline and death of Magecraft.
Though the odds of the powers behind the scenes allowing that to happen were negligible at best, Vahn knew it was undoubtedly the future of some timelines. As for his own, his path would likely lead to the increase of Mystery in the world, something Merlin was undoubtedly aware of. After all, he would be summoning Heroic Spirits from History to become permanant residents in the world, many bringing with them fragments of Mystery. Since the land he builds his base on would also become closely tied to the Root, Vahn knew that his presence in the world all but guaranteed it was on a path where Magecraft would become commonplace. One of the major tasks ahead of him was introducing it in such a way that people didn't outright destroy themselves during the transition...
Without overthinking matters, Vahn nodded in affirmation toward Merlin, asking, "Can you take us there...?" This was something Merlin had already prepared for, causing him to tap his staff on the ground in response. A massive, bluish-white formation appeared in the area and, without giving anyone time to prepare, the entire room was emptied a moment later. The only person who wasn't transferred was Alaya, leaving her hovering in the air next to where Vahn had been standing. At the same time, however, a version of her was already standing at Vahn's side more than ten-thousand kilometers away. Using this opportunity, she created a small blue star at the tip of her index finger that, moments later, exploded with enough force to make the nearby coastal cities experience a Magnitude 6.4 earthquake...
---
Feeling a tugging sensation in his stomach, though only for a brief moment, Vahn felt slightly nauseous due to the quick transfer. He wasn't the only one either as Catherine stumbled into Astolfo's embrace before vacating the contents of her stomach onto the poor Paladin who, to his credit, tolerated the mess while lightly patting his former Master's back. As for the other affected parties, they included Tristana, who had plopped to the floor, and Illya who glared at Merlin, her eyes gaining a slightly purple hue that caused the Magus to smile in return. At the same time, he hid his palms in his sleeves though, due to the slightly transparent quality of his ears and neck, it was obvious that the transfer had taken its toll. Others might not be able to see through it, due to the powerful illusion surrounding Merlin's body, but Vahn had been paying close attention during the transfer to confirm his suspicions...
While others were collecting themselves, one person in the room had a very different reaction as she looked around the area with complex emotions visible on her face. Then, turning to Merlin, Artoria asked, "This is where you want Vahn to build his base? Here, of all places...?" They were currently located in a small stone chamber that looked like it hadn't withstood the test of time all that well. Even at a glance, however, it was easy to see that this was a room in a much larger structure, something not even Vahn's senses could fully map out. There were several areas that his perception couldn't even pierce, showing up as empty blotches on his Minimap, now dominated by what looked like the blueprint of a massive fortress-type castle.
In response to Artoria's words, Merlin kept his usual smile as he answered, "This place is not your burden to bear any longer, my dear Artoria. However, I'm certain you would prefer to see it prosper once again...yes...of course...after all, this is your home." With that said, Merlin tapped his staff a few more times, each motion sending a blue pulse through the room that seemed to vanish into the walls before spreading further beyond. As this occurred, the surrounding structure looked like it was going back in time, including dust and debris returning to their original location as decayed stone quickly turned back into smooth and polished surfaces. Though Merlin's presence seemed to be fading with every tap of his staff, his expression didn't change much until he had apparently finished his task, punctuated by a tired sigh.
Now, instead of a decrepit stone room, the group found themselves in an ornate antechamber, complete with suits of armor, various pieces of art, and a thick red carpet beneath their feet. Then, without explaining anything further, Merlin opened a set of massive reinforced wooden doors that had the figures of twelve people carved into them. The other side of the doors opened up to a massive throne room that was supported by pillars that stretched all the way to the roof more than 30m overhead. It almost looked like the inside of a massive cathedral with the arched roof and stained glass murals that dotted the upper half of the walls. At the very center, surrounded on both side by twelve ornate thrones, a surprisingly simple wooden throne stood out amongst them...
Even without needing a history lesson, everyone in the room knew exactly where it was they had been transported to by Merlin. Based on Artoria's reaction alone, it was obvious they had found themselves in the legendary castle of King Arthur, a place that had disappeared long ago and was suspected by some to have never existed from the start. Though he was certain to find out the whole story, later on, Vahn could feel the history of the place as if it were palpable, causing him to look around with visible awe on his face as he muttered, "Camelot..." in a respectful tone. This utterance earned a nod from Merlin who, using his staff as a walking stick, made his way over to the wooden throne before caressing his hand over the surface and asking, "Well, want to try it out...?"
Understanding Merlin's intentions, Vahn's expression and disposition almost instantly changed, causing the surroundings to tremble slightly as he looked toward Artoria. Though she still had a few complex emotions visible in her eyes, Artoria had already made her decision when she and Vahn shared vows previously. She intended to wring Merlin's neck later but, for the time being, Artoria took a knee, lowering her head toward Vahn as she muttered in a firm tone, "My Emperor...!" This was the same as giving Vahn her consent, causing the aura surrounding his body to more than double in intensity as he made his way over to the wooden throne and sat down without hesitation. Though the throne was relatively plain, Vahn felt as if his power had increased qualitatively the very instant he sat down, an overwhelming sense of pride welling up inside of his chest as Merlin mused, "All hail the Emperor..." in a light tone.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sakura is too precious (T ^ T)','Mystery has no chance against Physics and the Scientific Method...! Question everything, define everything, know everything...!','The Rise of the Sage Emperor of Camelot (O o O)...!!!')
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章節 1109: Secrets
Following the rather auspicious moment when Vahn first sat upon the Throne of Camelot, he got to experience Astolfo renewing his pledge as a Knight, making the androgynous pretty boy his second 'official' Knight. After this, everyone was pretty much given free rein to pick their rooms, so long as they selected an area in the residential quarters and stayed out of the Inner Sanctum. Though things became a little awkward in the group after Vahn sat upon the throne, it wasn't that big of a change in how things would be run. If Camelot was truly to become the heart of an Empire in the future, it would take years so there was no particular rush to make sure a specific kind of order was kept...
Though the 'Ivory Castle', the official name of the residence Vahn had coopted for himself, had been restored to its former glory, it was still grossly understaffed. There was also nothing like a power grid present so the majority of the building was dark, the only light present coming in from the various stained-glass murals and a few open windows. To help restructure a few things and tend to the basic maintenance of the castle, Paracelsus was given the task of creating golems to tend to the grounds before creating a service staff of Artificial Humans and Homunculi. Though there would undoubtedly be Heroic Spirits and other people wandering the halls in the future, they obviously couldn't be given the task of simple Maids, Servants, and Groundskeepers. Since various Automatons could handle most menial tasks, it was best to leave such things to them while a few key individuals took charge of each Order's personnel.
Things would undoubtedly become more cohesive with the passage of time but the basic structure of Vahn's organization, now simply named 'Avalon', would be comprised of four departments, named 'Orders' since he wanted to go with the theme of Knights. The main Order would be headed by Vahn himself, known as the Imperial Order: Aldrnari. His primary responsibility was overseeing the other three Orders, essentially playing the part of an actual Emperor since he would have the final say regarding the allocation of resources and personnel. Beneath his Imperial Order, there would be the Alchemical Order, headed by Paracelsus, the Order of Imperial Knights, headed by Artorias, and the Order of Mystery, for the moment headed by Merlin himself.
Soon after Vahn had taken his place upon the Throne, Merlin surprised everyone by pledging an oath of his own, officially becoming Vahn's 'Magus of the Court'. Since there were few people who could even hope to contend against Merlin in the realm of Magecraft, including those that could use True Magic, he was the best candidate for the position. There was also the simple fact that, even more so than Artoria herself, the only person who knew all of Camelot's secrets was Merlin. Thus, once everyone else had been released to explore the castle, Vahn found himself deep within the Inner Sanctum with Artoria at his side. Though Fenrir and Circe had wanted to come along, Merlin was surprisingly insistent that the only people allowed within the heart of the Inner Sanctum were the past and present rulers of Camelot. Anyone else that entered was bound to be stricken with a vicious curse and, though Vahn could probably come up with a solution, it simply wasn't worth burdening his companions with such things in the present. As for why Merlin was able to enter, he simply smiled in response without giving a clear answer...
After passing into a room that would serve as Vahn's bedchamber in the future, a fact that made Artoria pale slightly since it had previously been where she and her own wife slept. Though Vahn would replace everything within, it was still awkward to have people inside a room that had only been frequented by Artoria, Guinevere, and, though she didn't discover this until later, her Head Knight, Lancelot. She had forgiven him for his sins, not wanting to interfere in the happiness of two of her closest confidants, but her encounter with him during the Fourth Holy Grail War had proven this was another one of her mistakes. Seeking redemption for his actions after her presumed death, he roamed the lands before eventually losing his mind, something she believed was accredited to a curse that had been placed on him...
As if he didn't care for Artoria's reminiscence at all, Merlin tapped his staff against a small diamond-shaped tile, triggering a mechanism that Artoria herself didn't know existed. This caused her to stare daggers at him, something the flowery magus just shrugged off before saying, "Had you known what lay beneath Camelot, your burdens would have been greatly magnified. You should not worry so much about the past, my dear Artoria, as the only thing that awaits you from here onwards is the future..." With that said, Merlin made a small orb of light before leading the way down a dark and spiraling corridor. Compared to the ivory-like stone of the rest of the castle, the interior walls of the corridor seemed far more ancient, to an extent that not even Merlin's magic would be able to restore them to their true glory...
Since he was curious about what lay below, Vahn placed his hand on Artoria's shoulder, giving her a small nod before following behind Merlin. She interpreted this as him agreeing with Merlin, causing Artoria to release a sigh before quickly falling into step behind the Emperor she had pledged more than just her sword to. Though there was nothing 'official' between them as of yet, Artoria had prepared her heart to accept any status Vahn intended to give her. She was still inexperienced in matters of the heart, still firmly clinging to her feelings toward Shirou, but Artoria believed in the future that Vahn saw. Now that the world itself was in danger, she would do whatever it took to make sure he wouldn't have to shoulder the burden himself...she did not wish to see him make the same mistakes, even though he had already succeeded once before while she herself had failed...
After descending for nearly half an hour, to a depth of around 700m, Vahn followed Merlin through a stone archway that opened up into a large cavern. Artoria was following close behind him, her mind wandering, so she had nearly bumped into him when Vahn suddenly stopped in his tracks. Her reaction time gave her more than enough leeway to change her course at the last moment before, much like Vahn, Artoria gawked at the unexpected sight before her. There, in the middle of the cavern, a massive red dragon was bound by silver chains as pillars of luminescent crystal pinned it to the ground like spears of light...
Before either Vahn or Artoria could ask, Merlin created several more spheres of light as he explained, "This is the Welsh Dragon...long ago, in a time long before Artoria had been born, this True Dragon served as the principal protector of the British Isles. It was one of the few Phantasmal Species that decided to remain on this side of the world during the Great Migration. Due to a pact it had formed with a member of the Volcaeic Tribe, the common ancestor of most of Britain's Royalty...one hundred years before Artoria's birth, the Welsh Dragon had prophesied her birth on the brink of Britain's ruin. She was meant to be a beacon of hope that would raise Britain from the ashes, ushering it into a new era of prosperity by serving as a living anchor between the Surface and the Reverse Side of the World..."
As she had once wielded the Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad, Artoria wasn't unfamiliar with the majority of Merlin's words. What she couldn't understand was how the Welsh Dragon, known as a benevolent and wise creature, had come to be imprisoned beneath the Ivory Castle. Even her own war standard had born the symbol of the dragon while, beating within her chest, the blessing it had bestowed upon her lineage gave her the power that had allowed her to become King. Seeing it pinned down caused Artoria to feel as if she had a heavy weight placed on her chest, making it difficult to breathe even as Vahn lightly stroked her back.
Understanding what Artoria wanted to ask, Merlin had a sad smile on his face as he explained, "Your birth was not the only thing prophesied by the Welsh Dragon. It also foresaw a terrible calamity that threatened to bring, not only Britain to ruin, but the surrounding countries as well. This calamity presented itself in the form of a White Dragon, a Beast of Gaia that served as the manifestation of the Saxton's desire for conquest. After the Age of Gods had come to an end, Gaia, the other half of the Counter-Force, was far more proactive in her desire to see humans fight amongst themselves. Her efforts are largely to blame for the decline of Magecraft and the depletion of mana over the last two-thousand-fourteen years..."
As Merlin said this, he looked at a small blue squirrel-like creature that was clinging to Vahn's shoulder, its teeth buried into the base of his neck. This was a form Alaya had taken per Vahn's request, giving her permission to suck his blood, increasing the reserves of Magical Energy he could use to make her take action. In her current state, she was actively concealed from the perception of most people, the only exceptions being entities like Vahn, Merlin, and Scáthach. Since she understood that Merlin was looking at her, Alaya looked back at him with her violet eyes flashing lines of runes, mouth never leaving Vahn's neck...
Continuing where he left off, Merlin added, "The Welsh Dragon knew it would emerge victoriously but it would be a pyrrhic victory as, due to the toxins contained within the White Dragon's fangs and claws, it was fated to be corrupted, bringing the very destruction it had vowed to prevent. Thus, after fighting against the malevolent White Dragon and obtaining victory, the Welsh Dragon entrusted its fate to the people it had sworn to protect. Its body became the foundation for the Island of Avalon, serving as the physical bridge that would allow others to reach the Reverse Side of the World and reach the true Avalon. At the same time, its heart was removed, serving to nourish the bodies of the Pendragon family until the prophesied King had been born. After that, it vanished from the world, becoming the heart beating within Artoria's chest..."
At this point, Merlin was standing near the snout of the Welsh Dragon, rubbing his hand across the ruby-red scales of the 20m long winged creature. Then, as if to explain the purpose for revealing such a secret, Merlin explained, "Of the many prophecies surrounding the Welsh Dragon, the most important was the final words it spoke before being sealed away. Though it had foreseen the fall of King Arthur in the Battle of Camlann, it also saw visions of a far future where, after gaining power in the True Avalon, King Arthur would return to usher in the Third Era. During that time, Avalon would become the foundation for a Utopia where all races would be able to prosper, turning the tides of destruction and bringing an Age of Wonder..."
When he finished speaking, Merlin looked towards Vahn before squinting his eyes as he added, "That was the future I had seen as well...at least until you descended upon this world, Sage Emperor Aldrnari. Though I had been powerless to help her due to my own imprisonment, I knew that Artoria would one day become the King she always aspired to be. She was fated to lead, not as the King of Britain, but the Wise King of Avalon. In that vision of the future, it was not you at her side, but another man..."
Even without explaining further, Vahn and Artoria both thought about Shirou, the latter adopting a complex expression while the former just squinted his eye slightly and said, "Those who wait for 'fate' to play out would excuse all tragedies as 'inevitabilities'. So long as people have free will, there is no such thing as an inviolable prophecy. Regardless of the future you had seen, the only future that has ever mattered was the one people forged in the present. There are so many factors in play that even you would never be able to comprehend, Merlin, so please do not make things difficult for Artoria by saying such careless words..."
In response to Vahn's words, Merlin actually nodded his head in affirmation, a smile on his face as he said, "Yes, I believe that is how it ought to be. Had I not come to that same conclusion, I never would have entrusted my most precious treasure to you. Truth be told, I was never fond of the fate that had been decided, not just for Artoria, but all of the people I have encountered. The burden of knowing when and how those close to you will die, never being able to take action to prevent it, is one of the things I abhor about my own existence. When I saw what would become of Artoria while I wasted away in a prison for all eternity...well, let us not talk about such dreary subjects. The only thing that matters is, as you said, the future you two are building in the present..."
After he had finished speaking, Merlin removed his hand from the Welsh Dragon's snout, saying, "There is one final thing you should know...so long as the Welsh Dragon's body is sealed here, this Island of Avalon serves a similar function to a Leyline. I believe that little squirrel of yours will be able to create a system that allows you to communicate with the Throne of Heroes without any issues. However, what you need to know is the 'purpose' that the Welsh Dragon's sealed body serves...that little lady, Gray, is in possession of the Holy Spear, Rhongomyniad. As the spear serves as one of the anchors of the World itself, it was not able to split from the time axis when Artoria made her pact. This caused the spear to eventually fall into the hands of her foster brother, Sir Kay, who desired to bring his sister back to life, not as the King of Britain, but a simple woman who did not need to bear such burdens. Now, thirty-seven generations later, the spear has fallen into the hands of that lass and, should you wish to use it, there is one important function it possesses..."
Though Merlin had just dropped a bombshell on Artoria, caused her to nearly collapse on the spot, he entrusted her care to Vahn without showing even a small change in expression as he stated, "By using the Holy Spear on the Welsh Dragon, it is possible to create a gateway between the Avalon in the Surface World, and the True Avalon located on the Reverse Side of the World. Though the mana on the other side would be enough to kill a normal person just by being exposed to it, I believe you may very well be an exception to this rule, Vahn. At the same time, there is the potential of using the mana contained within Avalon as a weapon of mass destruction, saturating the world-"
Before Merlin could continue any further, Vahn held up his hand and asked, "And what will happen to the Welsh Dragon...?" Though it was sealed away, Vahn could tell that the monstrously powerful Welsh Dragon was still alive. Even without a heart, and with most of its organs and wings skewered with spears of luminescent crystal, it was still filled to the brim with vitality. He might currently lack the means to fully heal it, but Vahn was confident he could expel the corruption within its body before restoring it to full health one day. It wasn't right for a creature that had dutifully carried out the terms of its oath to suffer such a tragic fate in exchange for its loyalty. Even if it meant losing the catalyst that gave the Island of Avalon its power, Vahn would rather have a powerful and loyal ally on his side than treat its sealed body like a battery...
Without waiting for Merlin's answer, as he could already guess it, Vahn plucked Alaya from his shoulder, asking, "How much Magical Energy would it take to remove this dragon's corruption?" In response to this, Alaya licked the excess blood from her lips before answering, "The Welsh Dragon's corruption is the Will of Gaia. No amount of Magical Energy would allow me to take action that ran directly counter to an action of my counterpart. If you seek to heal the Welsh Dragon, you would have to make an arrangement with Gaia. At your current level of power, you would lose your life instantly if you attempted to confront her directly."
In response to Alaya's words, Merlin showed a melancholic expression before rubbing the Welsh Dragon's snout again and muttering, "I had hoped against all odds that you would be able to come up with a solution...well, not that you need to do so now. I'm certain you will endeavor to save even the Welsh Dragon...that is your nature, after all...isn't that correct, Sage Emperor Aldrnari~?" With these words leaving his mouth, Merlin gave a 'knowing' smile that conveyed to Vahn that this had been his intention from the start. Though this was a little annoying, Vahn's determination to heal the Welsh Dragon wasn't affected in the slightest. With that in mind, he walked over to its side before placing his hand against its chest to get a better understanding of the malignancy...
Though Vahn had been thinking about using his blood to essentially 'cycle' out the Welsh Dragon's, this thought was immediately put on the backburner after he touched it directly. Much like Sakura, it had malignant black energy that had perfectly fused with its own internal mana. Though the blood in its veins was no longer pumping, even that had been turned into a blackened substance not all that dissimilar to the mud that had been produced by the Greater Grail. Most troubling of all, however, was that the Magic Circuits of the Welsh Dragon had warped into a form that would cause it intense pain while using its power, further adding to its madness. Though Vahn could use a [Fate Severing Knife] to separate the malignancy from its body, he was grossly unprepared for fixing the damage to its organs and reshaping its Magic Circuits into the 'correct' shape. It seemed easier to make a new body for it, transferring the soul of the Welsh Dragon into a new vessel since its current one was almost irreparably twisted...
Shaking his head, Vahn felt that his mentality was developing in the wrong direction as, even back in Danmachi, he often told others that 'anything' was possible. Just because he couldn't repair the damage easily, didn't mean he couldn't do it if given enough time. His skill with [Hands of Nirvana] would only grow stronger and, even if Alaya refused to help him, that didn't mean he couldn't find Gaia and make her provide assistance. Even if her presence would kill the current him, the words of Akasha indicated that even Gaia wouldn't be able to take direct action against him. If he could reach a point where he could approach her directly, Vahn knew he should be able to 'order' Gaia to undo the corruption of her Beast and potentially even heal the Welsh Dragon completely...
With his mind made up, Vahn sent waves of Source Energy into the Welsh Dragon's body, seeing if he could even influence its damaged Magic Circuits. Though it felt like he was trying to shape steal with a piece of wool, the nature of his Source Energy meant there was, at the very least, a small effect. The problem was that the Welsh Dragon seemed to be near the peak of Tier 4 so, with his current level of strength, it felt like it would take decades to beat its Magic Circuits into shape. Vahn knew he would need to increase his strength considerably if he wanted to expedite the process as, even with his previous reserves back in the Record of Danmachi, Vahn wasn't confident he could use 'Nirvana Rebirth' on a creature more than 20m in length.
After pulling his hand away, Vahn confidently stated, "I will be able to help it if given enough time. For now, we should focus on consolidating our power and increasing the strength of our forces. I do not believe for a moment that 'nothing' would happen between now and the emergences of Angra Mainyu. You still need to explain to me exactly how Camelot and Avalon are able to remain hidden from the world...after that, we'll need to come up with a system of governance if we intend to truly make this the heart of my Empire..." Though it hadn't been his intention to become an Emperor in every Record he visited, Vahn knew a large part of his power was dependant on his followers. Since the fate of the world was on the line, he didn't mind expanding Camelot until its influence actually began to reach out into the 'real' world. The current path, where mankind was manipulated by figures in the shadows, would only end in ultimate destruction. As he did not intend to allow such a thing to happen, Vahn knew he would have to take more 'decisive' actions if he wanted to prevent the coming destruction...
Turning to Alaya, Vahn gave a small nod before saying, "Without compromising the seal or injuring the Welsh Dragon, this is the place where I will establish the system to communicate with the Throne of Heroes. Do it..." Though Alaya had only been given the task of creating a catalyst for Vahn's use, he had already asked her how much Magical Energy it would take to create the entire system. Since he already had several of the larger fragment of the Greater Grail in his possession, it surprisingly only took around 3,000,000 units of Magical Energy to patch everything together. Since Alaya had been constantly sucking his blood for the last six hours, she had a stockpile of around 4.4m units of Magical Energy, more than enough to complete the task in his stead.
In response to Vahn's words, Alaya spread her arms wide, a rather peculiar action since she was only around 10cm long and looked a lot like a flying squirrel. Vahn had told her to turn into something cute that wouldn't distract him when he was focused on other things. Though he had to deal with a persistent 'pinching' sensation in his neck, he actually preferred seeing Alaya in this kind of form. His body still warmed up just by being in contact with her, but it was a lot easier to ignore when the contact surface had been reduced to the size of a small rodent. Now that he got to see the rather peculiar sight of an adorable blue squirrel manipulating a phenomenal amount of mana, Vahn couldn't help smiling...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Where the Grand Order though...?','Welsh Dragon is a True Bro','Vahn is making Alaya work hard xD...')
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