The king. A formidable presence and the symbol of hope for his people. Trust me when I say, the silver crown decorated with stunning jewels resting atop his head was not just for show. While I’m at it, neither was the sword hugged against his waist. For he is not just the ruler of these lands or the head of the royal Pendragon family, but their mightiest warrior. In fact, there are rumors that he is the strongest thing in the world.

His name is Arthur Pendragon. But most simply call him King Arthur.

Currently he is walking through the halls of Chamelot Castle with a rather eerie tongue licking across his neck. He could almost taste the storm brewing on the horizon.

“This is not good. Not good at all. Is it perhaps time for me to make a move…?”

“MY LORD!! MY LORD!!” A frantic voice echoed, piercing the king’s train of thought.

The king's expression tightened, confirming his gut feeling. His intuition had never failed him in moments of peril and today was no different.

He turned his gaze to meet with his advisor’s frantic yells.

Merlin, the king's sage advisor and a formidable warrior in his own right approached the king, his demeanor heavy with foreboding. His robes flapped wildly, a testament to the speed at which he had come, nearly unraveling in his haste. And his hair was a tangled mess of jungle vines.

“What is it, Merlin?” the king inquired, his voice steady despite the turmoil.

He was not a man of fear, as he was confident in not only his power, but the total might of his kingdom.

“*Pant! Just…*Pant! Give me a moment.”

Merlin bent at the waist, struggling to catch his breath.

“Take your time.” The king reassured him.

After a moment of recovery, Merlin's voice trembled with urgency as he spoke out.

“My power has shown me that the time is near. In a week’s time, the AntiGod will arrive in this world.”

“What of the seven sinners who are to aid him on his journey?”

“I’m sorry my lord, but I can still only identify one. That being your eldest son, Arthur Jr.”

“I see. I had a feeling that would be the case… No matter. All that we need to do is ensure Arthur Jr can join him on that journey. After all, they do share the same goal… The destruction of God.”

“Are you going to see Arthur Jr now, my king?”

“Yes, I was. I was hoping to give him the news myself. Would you care to join me, Merlin?”

“It would please me to no ends.”

***

Located on the most southern continent, is the Kingdom of Chamelot.

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Unlike most kingdoms, there are no soldiers or typical armies to speak of. Sure, civilians are welcome to train in the art of combat should they wish, but it is mostly for sport or any competitions you might find within this great kingdom.

According to ancient decree, those unfit to protect their realm have no right to govern it.

And so, the military consists entirely of members of the Royal Family. We refer to these proud warriors as “The Knights of the Round”.

Currently, the eldest son of these great warriors is skipping out on his knightly duties.

Rather than swinging a wooden blade over and over, he’d much rather choose to occupy his time with more pressing matters. Today, that happens to be studying how the head gardener works her magic. And no, I’m not referring to how she can magically turn any patch of bush into a museum worthy statue. As impressive as that is. I’m referring to the art of ogling, in its purest and simplest form.

“Young prince, is there anything I could help you with?” The innocent gardener asked. It’s not as if she didn’t enjoy his company, just that most men had no interest in something like this. He was honestly the only prince to even compliment her work.

“No-no. I just can’t help but enjoy watching you work is all. It’s as if you sparkle under the warm sunlight.”

“You flatter me, my prince. I honestly don’t think a humble gardener like me is worthy of such praise.”

He had intended on saying something corny like, “I am simply sharing the honest truth” but was practically hypnotized by them. The way they bounced was like a coin dangled on a string, swaying like a grandfather clock. I’d go as far as to say her maid uniform along with her oblivious innocence only enhanced the potency of the hypnotic effect. He hadn’t even realized he was drooling a bit.

“Surely you didn’t skip out on your sword practice for this, right?”

Instantly, his reality was shattered. The sweat poured down his face as he slowly turned his head. His fate was practically sealed by now.

“Oh… It’s you, Father. And Merlin. What brings you two to my humble abode…?”

Physically, he was wearing a large awkward smile, but mentally he was praying for a quick and swift death. That alone would be the only way to avoid the hell to come.

“Nice try. But this is actually my humble abode. And we’ve come to let you off as some would say.”

“What exactly do you mean, father…?”

“In a way, you’re turning eighteen this year. It’s high time you go see the vast world for yourself. You have a week left in this kingdom. After that, I’m kicking you out. And please, don’t come back. Or I’ll annihilate you.”

Merlin and Arthur Jr froze from the king’s bluntness. Being as vague as he was, Arthur Jr was on the verge of tears. He felt as if his father saw him as nothing but a bum. A worthless waste of air. Was that really all he was? The king’s disgusted expression surely didn’t convince him otherwise.

“My king. I believe that was uncalled f-!”

“I… I… I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment!” Arthur Jr cried out, running away from the two.

“Don’t you think you could have gone easier on him? His life hasn’t been exactly pleasant. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen him genuinely smile ever since Lancelot’s-”

“That’s enough, Merlin.”

“F-Forgive me, my king. I spoke out of line.”

“You can rest easy. It isn’t as if I’m kicking him out because he’s weak or anything. In fact, apart from myself, I’d go as far as to say he’s the most talented warrior I’ve ever met. He has no equal within this kingdom. His brothers can’t even dream of besting him… But the world is vast. So large that he couldn’t even begin to comprehend its edge.”

“If the prophecy is to be true. Then he will grow far stronger once he joins the AntiGod and sees the world for himself.”

“That is good to hear. Maybe when he returns from his journey, I can finally have a decent match.”

(A decent match, huh…? Had he been anyone else, I’d call them a narcissistic fool. But honestly, when he makes remarks like that, it feels less like arrogance and more like someone reading off a textbook... I’ve advised over twenty generations of kings and seen almost everything this world has to offer. And yet, I have never met a person as powerful as this man. Honestly… I don’t even think God could beat him.)

“Merlin?”

“Hm? Yes, my king? Were you saying something.”

“Yes. I was explaining the importance of our future visits to both Troy and Crete.”

“Our future visits to Troy…? If it isn’t too much, may I ask why you’re making so many moves now? You almost never trouble yourself with this world’s affairs, so why now? Is it because of the AntiGod?”

“Something like that. I have a feeling that even if I explained it in full, you wouldn’t believe me. But if you’re curious, here.”

King Arthur tossed an unsealed scroll at Merlin. As the sage read the contents his expression began to flicker with disbelief.

“This can’t be… In only two months’ time…?!”

“I received that scroll some time ago. Even now, I can hardly believe it. Whoever sent it must be some sort of higher being. Beyond a simple deity.”

“Do you think it’s God himself? If Troy is involved, then it could be likely.”

“Perhaps. All I can say for sure is that whoever they are, they’re constantly restarting the world. It’s as if they are desperately trying to change the course of history. To prevent something from taking place. Up till now, there was no reason for me to act, as any result would simply be reset. But if the contents of this scroll are to be true, then now is the time… We will crush the deities.”