“Greetings, Lords, Ladies, and citizens of Avalon!” Morgan’s voice boomed. She was the announcer of the tournament and stood in a high tower overlooking the arena. “In the red corner, we have Sir…”
Even though the tournament was thrown in our honor and we had prime seats, none of the Renalian retinue smiled or cheered. Lydia paid the barest minimum of courtesy to the servants tending to us. The royal guardsmen remained on edge. Their hands drifted to their swords every few minutes and their heads snapped in the direction of even the slightest noise. Anna was borderline catatonic and Idyia had to take over her duties due to her unresponsive state of mind.
I gnashed my teeth.
Against decorum, I chose to sit between Lydia and King Arthur. He didn’t seem to mind and took it as an opportunity to engage me in idle chit-chat. It only then occurred to me that Arthur didn’t care much about Lydia’s presence. I was the one he was interested in.
“Speak freely, Ranger Levin. This time, I will allow your candor. Can you joust?” He asked while we watched two knights bash into each other with lances.
“I’ve never tried, no.”
Arthur didn’t even bother glancing in my direction. Instead, he watched the games, although his blank expression was more than enough to tell me he was bored.
“You were a warrior, yet you do not know how to joust?”
“It’s not a skill that soldiers are required to have in my time.”
Arthur’s gaze slid to me, although his shoulders and head remained locked forward. “You are not from my time?”
This was one hell of a loaded question. He was trying to determine if I was from his past or his future. If I lied, he’d know. My instincts told me as much. Trying to be evasive would only make my grave deeper.
“Your future. Approximately 2500 years after, I think.”
Arthur stroked his chin, this time, he turned to face me fully.
“And how is my homeland?” I heard true emotion creep into Arthur’s tone. He still loved his old kingdom. I thought long and hard about my answer. World War III ravaged most of Europe. I died on German soil, although most of it was a scorched wasteland, riddled with gouges in the earth from artillery and mine explosions.
“When I died, the entire world was engulfed in a horrific war. Most of Europe was destroyed. Britain was spared the worst of it due to its geographical location, but it was still devastated.”
Arthur’s gaze grew hard and any softness his expression once held melted like a small cube of ice thrown into a roaring furnace. “You do not lie.”
“No. No, I don’t.”
“This disturbs me.” Arthur leaned back, he looked up at the open sky and watched Renala circle high overhead, in playful formation with over a dozen Griffon Knights. They were doing evasive, aerial maneuvers; it was Sir Anduin’s suggestion. It would bleed Renala’s energy and improve the Griffon Knight’s tactical prowess.
Now, I was curious. “Are you worried about Britain?”
“That is part of it, yes. But I am prophesied to return to lead Britain to salvation in its hour of greatest need.”
“Yes, that is how your legend goes. Merlin’s fault for that, I guess.”
“Merlin’s embellishments aside, there are two outcomes that upset me. Firstly, the destruction you speak of is so great it consumed most of the continent. Secondly, I am still here.”
My eyes widened slightly.
“Britain’s greatest hour of need has not yet come.”
“If World War III isn’t enough to bring you back, I seriously don’t know what is.”
“I have gained much from this conversation. In return, I shall dispel some of your ignorance. How much do you know of the Breath of the Cosmos, Ranger Levin?”
That term again. What did it refer to, exactly? I had an inkling, but I was too afraid to voice it.
“I’ve heard it mentioned before. I was warned that a terrible power sleeps within it.”
“If that is all you know, then listen closely. I cannot tell you the full truth. You are not yet strong enough to do anything about it.”
I found my lack of power more and more disturbing with each passing second.
“The Breath of the Cosmos is the ancient, forbidden, and forgotten name of the System that dominates all life on Valeria. It is not a naturally occurring phenomenon. It grants us great power, but as we grow stronger, it thickens into a noose around our necks. Do not trust it.”
My cheek itched. So my greatest weapon was also potentially my greatest enemy. “Why?”
“The Breath of the Cosmos takes our minds, bodies, and souls and gives them form and function. It converts all of our very beings into a rigid and systematic categorization of skills, abilities, and parameters. Pray tell, Ranger Levin, if your very essence is so integral to it, why can you not change the appearance of your Status?”
“Because Seras was the one who-”
“So, you serve Seras. Interesting. I did not think she would fill the power vacuum so quickly after Sir Tristain’s death. But I digress. It is as you fear.”
“Seras is the one who truly controls my Status,” I concluded.
“Close, but no. The Primaries use the Breath of the Cosmos to monitor the mortal races. When one mortal grows too dangerous, they eliminate them. It is how they maintain the status quo.”
“W-wait. I made a deal with Seras. If I kill three Demon Gods and complete her Quest, she’ll give me an Aspect that lets me go back to Earth!”
“Slay three Demon Gods?” Arthur waved me off with a dismissive flap of his hand. “Preposterous. She has no intention of letting you get that strong. Her goal is balance. Her entire function is to maintain the status quo.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
I fell back in my chair, mouth open like a gaping fish.
“If you wish to return to Earth so badly, then this is a dilemma you would eventually need to face. Now that you know, you can prepare appropriate countermeasures. At the very least, Seras and the Primaries can no longer take you by surprise. The gods cannot outright smite you if you remain in Valeria. The Celestial Accords prevent them from directly interfering with the mortal realm.”
“There’s a lot here I need to digest.”
“Ignorance is often bliss. Now, while you reflect upon the futility of your Quest, go and prepare yourself for our duel. The festivities are almost over.” Arthur motioned to Morgan, who descended to the arena to congratulate the tournament winner, a young knight whose name I didn’t catch. Lydia and the rest applauded out of respect, but there was no jubilation. Even with my Fear suppressing Skill affecting her, she was still shaken by Arthur’s godly power.
“I shall conduct my own preparations. I await you on the field, Ranger Levin.” Arthur then left with a flourish of his royal mantle.
I stood up but as I was about to follow, Lydia gripped my wrist. The fear in her eyes spoke volumes. My wife, the embodiment of a fierce dragon in human form, cowed like a child afraid of the dark. I bent at the waist and kissed her cheek.
“I’ll be back.” My strange ascent, stolen from one of the most iconic movie stars on Earth, drew a small smile and a choked chortle from her throat.
“Why did you say it like that?”
“We’ll watch the movie after I get back. You’ll love it.” It only just occurred to me I could replay Hollywood movies through our telepathic bond. I used my Skill in a very mercenary way, but if it brought smiles to my lover’s faces, then maybe a funny movie or two would be a good balm for their souls.
Now able to see me off with the barest mirth, Lydia released my wrist. “Fight well, my one and only Hero.”
I gave her a wide, shit-eating grin. Idyia bowed and joined me, Bottomless Dufflebag in hand. One of the squires led us to a tent just outside the arena. I donned my military fatigues and armor with practiced grace. The tying down the leather straps that held my breast, back, shin, and arm guards was second nature now. Idyia only had to handle the out-of-reach straps across my back.
“Can you defeat King Arthur, Levin?”
It was the first time Idyia called me only by my name. Even when we made love, she always referred to me as her Master. It should have been a beautiful moment of interpersonal bonding. Unfortunately, her tone was thick with Fear. I can’t even imagine how affected they would be without my Skill improving their resistance. Anna’s broken state of mind worried me.
“No. That’s impossible.”
“Then we should surrender!” Her apathetic demeanor was marred with apprehension. “I was mistaken for suggesting we come here. Failnaught is not worth all this risk.”
“You were absolutely right. I needed this more than you know, Idyia. I need a true measure of what I have to accomplish. I’ve never been more motivated.”
“But you can’t win!”
“Nope. I can totally win. I just can’t beat him.”
“Levin, please-”
I walked out of the tent to the roar of a crowd, although they weren’t cheering for me. King Arthur stood on the opposite end of the football-field-sized arena. Maidens closest to him sprinkled him with flower petals as he waved at the audience with one hand.
“In a rare showing, His Royal Majesty, King Arthur Pendragon, Paladin of Avalon, has graced the field with his presence!” Morgan announced. The cheering intensified. Their esprit de corps was impressive. “May all here bear witness to his heroic countenance and legendary, martial prowess. Long live the King!”
“Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King!” The ground shook with each unified declaration.
I snorted through my nose and stretched the string on my warbow.
“And his challenger, Ranger Levin, representing Queen Lydumillia of Renalis!”
Renala landed just outside the arena directly behind the royal luxury box. Her descent tore everyone’s gaze away from Arthur. She shot a pillar of golden dragonfire into the air which shocked the crowd. With all eyes in her direction, Lydia stood from her chair, flaming dragon wings exploded from her back. Even Anna golf-clapped. I cracked a wide smile at their audacity.
No one else cheered. Whatever. I didn’t give a damn about the faceless masses. There were only four people worth caring about in this entire audience.
Arthur and I advanced until there were only 30ft between the two of us. In his hand was a wooden training sword, just as he promised. He wore nothing but a brown tunic, a belt, and a pair of trousers. Most squires were more armored than he was.
“You only need land a single glancing blow to claim victory. I will honor my word.” Arthur reminded.
“If you reconsider during the fight, I won’t stop you.”
“Oh? Is this more of your hubris?”
“I think it’s yours.”
Arthur clicked his tongue. "I thought you learned some humility.”
“I’ve been told I’m pretty stubborn and kinda stupid. Makes for a good NCO.” I needed to goad him, just enough to lower his guard by the smallest fraction. I nocked an arrow and drew my bow.
“Warriors ready!" Morgan's voice chimed over the exhilarated cheers. "Begin!”
From Select Fire, I activated three-round burst and explosive ammunition. From Grenadier, I augmented my arrow again with Thermite Grenades.
Arthur simply watched. His wooden sword was held idle at his side.
I loosed. Arthur’s off-hand blurred and he caught all three arrows between each of his fingers.
“If this is the best-”
My arrows exploded in his hand, spreading flaming thermite paste all over him.
“...Is your Subclass some kind of draconic caster?”
For the first time since we met, surprise and confusion were plastered over Arthur’s face. It twisted into annoyance when the thermite started to burn at over 2,500°C. But the overall volume of thermite wasn’t that high. I didn’t want to waste too much MP on a potentially missed shot. But as Arthur struggled to smother it, the paste spread across his whole body.
Despite the intense flames, pain never crossed his face, which astounded me. His Constitution must have been insanely high to just shrug off metal-melting heat. Then again, he didn’t even flinch after taking Goldfire Renala’s dragonfire straight to the face. He still had the situational awareness to thrust his training sword into the ground before attempting to pat out the paste clinging to his arm.
“Greek fire?”
I didn’t answer and loaded another arrow. “Does this count as a glancing blow?”
“Ah-ha-ah. Yes. More than enough. To think I would fall for such trickery.”
In his first life, King Arthur was betrayed by Morgan at least three times and he still chose to give her one of the highest positions in his court in his second one. For all of Arthur’s superior Attributes, old habits died harder than Mordred could stab.
Or maybe the sex really is just that good? Stuck his dick in crazy and couldn’t get enough?
Suddenly, the space around Arthur visibly warped. I jumped back as far as I could just as the ground cracked beneath his feet. The thermite paste that clung to his body was blasted off by some kind of unseen force, leaving his skin clean and pristine. Even after being doused in those flames for over 20 seconds, he still had HP to spare. The same couldn’t be said for his clothes.
“Wow.” I blinked owlishly after my eyes inevitably drifted below the belt line.
He’s definitely king-sized, holy hell. Did I win or lose?
Morgan began another chant in Fey, a shortened version of the one she used in the throne room. Arthur’s clothing reformed around him. Then she was silent, along with the rest of the audience.
“It is my loss. Well done.” Arthur announced. He used his Strength and Constitution to project his voice over the entire stadium. He turned on his heel and departed from the arena without any fanfare. The silence was deafening, so I hastily made my own exit.