Guildless

Return to Tevintis [Chapter 57]

I look to Vex.

"So are you teleporting us there? Or are you jumping in my shadow again?"

He scratches the back of his head.

"Well, now that I'm such a high level, the draw backs from spells are seemingly non-existent. I can teleport us there easily."

I stare at him for a moment before nodding and looking to everyone.

"Let's get our friend back."

I say calmly, Carrina and Warren seemingly glaring at me. I shrug it off, focusing more on bringing Blankk back. Vex quickly pops his shoulders and looks to all of us.

"Be ready, I'm Teleporting us into the throne room. Who ever is substituting for Arthur will most likely be there, so have your weapons ready."

We all quickly draw our weapons, except Azeroth, who's holding Blankk's lifeless body. In an instant, blackness flickers around us and immediately falls away. We see several guards quickly turn to us, shaking while holding their weapons.

Before anyone moves or reacts, a voice speaks up.

"Dante! My, my! And here I was thinking I may never get to thank you."

I look back to the throne to see Modred standing up, his arms extended and a wide smile on his face. I quickly move to him.

"Where are The Chosen? Or Merlin?"

Modred looks to me, clearly confused.

"W-well, The Chosen left immediately after you killed Arthur. With his death, their reward was voided. But, you have yet to claim your reward. As for Merlin; since my father's death, he's been quite ill."

Modred speaks calmly, staring into my eyes without fear. I stare back, slightly confused.

"Father? And what kind of illness?"

Modred laughs and pats my head lightly.

"Arthur was my father, of course he didn't feel that way though. Merlin has been extremely fatigued, the reason why has eluded the other court guards and wizards. No one can seem to understand why, but we have several wizards around him at all time making sure he's alright."

Merlin must be very weakened then, so he probably couldn't revive Blankk even if he wanted to. That means we have to find The Chosen.

I look up to Modred and sigh.

"Well, we'll take that reward then go find The Chosen. We need our friend to be resurrected."

I mumble, Modred looks towards my friends with a confused expression.

"Who killed him? His stats were above thirty-thousand, I don't see him dying to just anybody?"

I shake my head.

"No, it was Ales-. Wait, how did you know what his stats were?"

I ask, concerned and suspicious of Modred. He laughs.

"Well, a few people had stayed to keep an eye on you. I was told you had all supposedly partied up and cleared the dungeon multiple times."

I nod slowly and sigh.

So he knows how strong our guild truly is? If he didn't seem like an ally, I'd kill him here.

Suddenly a side door flings open.

"Master! You mustn't! You are still weakened."

I look over and see Merlin stumble in. His body looks drained, his skin clinging to his bones. His muscle mass and frame have changed completely. He points to me, his boney finger shaking wildly.

"You returned! And he's coming for you!"

He laughs, obviously crazed. He falls to his knees, a loud crack echoing around the room. I see several guards recoil in shock as blood leaks from Merlin's shattered kneecaps. He slowly forces himself to his feet and looks to everyone. Blood drips from his lip as the mages around him quickly heal his injuries.

Modred looks over to Merlin, obviously glaring at him.

"Merlin! Get ahold of yourself, before someone strikes you down! If the world's strongest mage goes mad, he will be a fearsome adversary indeed."

Merlin laughs at his words and stumbles backwards. He trips slightly, hitting his head against the rock wall and sliding down. Blood trails down while he continues to chuckle and mumble to himself. Modred speaks up.

"It seems that Arthur's death has broken him. His mind seems completely lost, but it's understandable."

I look to Modred.

"What do you mean?"

Modred crosses his arms and stares down to Merlin.

"Arthur always considered him to be his true son. Saying only his son could be so gifted. Merlin was saved and raised from birth to be the next king. But you managed to kill Arthur before he decreed Merlin to be the next king. Why he didn't decree it when he had decided, I'll never know. Maybe he had held out some hope for me, but I doubt it."

I slowly look to Merlin.

"So to him, he lost his only parent? His only family?"

Modred shakes his head.

"No, Merlin would do anything for Arthur. It would be more like if you saw the Maker fall from the heavens and crash to the ground. If you saw a mortal dethrone a god, that's probably how Merlin is seeing this."

As I nod, starting to understand, we hear screams rolling through the city. We all quickly move to the gate of the castle and look into the city. We see explosions of blood and building in a straight line, coming towards us.

"What is that?!"

A guard yells beside me. He quickly turns to run away, but a sword flies from the dust and rubble and goes through his throat. The guard is pinned to the wall, the blade piercing straight into the stone. Out of reflex, I draw HexCalibur and manage to block a sword that was flung towards me as well. The blade turns to ash as it makes contact with my sword. Through the dust, a figure launches up into the sky.

Adorned in shining black and red armor, gold inlays and deep orange spiked gems floating around it's collar and shoulders. Two large horns emerging from its forehead and angling back over his skull. A long gold spiked tail coiled, seemingly wrapping around the sun behind it. The bright light blocks my vision, stopping me from seeing the attack coming.

A sword rips through my shoulder and knocks me to the ground. I'm not impaled due to the sword going straight through me, and the castle itself, as though cutting through air.

[-35,000,000 HP]
[+110,500 HP]

Something I haven't felt in a long time sets in as Vex grabs my collar and teleports us all away. A tight grip on my throat and chest, causing me to gasp and widen my eyes. My heart pounds wildly as the world spins around me, my brain desperately trying to figure out what happened. A feeling racks my body and mind, something dreadfully and painfully reminiscent.

Fear.