MORDRED

As they were now running away from the soldiers, Mordred tried to shoot them with his pistols which Hermes gave to them. Made for them specially. He said it was a present. A gift for a new beginning. When they touched them, they felt something around them. Like they had a connection to it. Or a connection to the one who gave them the gift.

A bullet fell on their left shoulder. Another one on their back. Then someone threw an iron net around their legs, causing them to fall, and tried to pull them to the opposite side Mordred was heading, by dragging them from the rough ground.

Mordred struggled to find the strength to move his hands and pull the trigger. There was no use.

They were now behind a temple. They could listen to the music, and the choir was singing. They tried to use their pistols, but two soldiers fired directly at their palms. They let out a big groan of pain.

''We saw you with the fugitive'' One of them yelled.

''Where is he?'' Another one asked.

They made a mistake. They could have killed Ukko and Hephaestus when they had the chance. They told Hermes that there would be trouble. And Mordred was right. They had the bottle. And Mordred was about to die.

They remained silent and waited for the soldier to place another iron bullet into their body.

And then two heads fell off their bodies they fell to seconds after that. The healer panted heavily, looking at the blood and then up, facing the hybrid from earlier. Mordred could see from their necks there were sheds of ice. Cold ice as if winter came to the area of forsaken.

They lifted their head,grabbed their right pistol again and aimed directly at her. When they were ready to shoot she tilted her head to the right so the bullet could go to the soldier that was ready to attack her.

She looked behind her and started breathing heavily.

''Blood'' She mumbled and tried to get away from it. Her eyes glanced to Mordred’s side as her grin grew bigger. His heart raced as he tried to hold his pistols.

‘’Relax’’The girl burst into laughter. ‘’I am not going to eat you’’

Mordred clenched his jaw. ‘’But hybrids…’’

She put her hands behind her back.‘’I like the color red but I wouldn’t say I am hungry for blood..’’She shrugged. ‘’Besides who told you that shit?’’

Hermes.

‘’So hybrids do not drink blood’’Mordred panted, noticing that she wore a new pair of colors, worse than before. A red vest, a blue thick tunic above it, covering her arms perfectly, and a pair of shady green pants. Either this area did not have enough clothes or the girl's fashion taste was terrible.

‘’As far as I know’’She frowned. ‘’Bit of rude actually to think of that’’

‘’You want me to apologize’’

‘’Yes, please’’She said with a childish tone.

Mordred muffled his growl as his face felt naked without the mask. He looked at her big grin and then at the fallen bodies. If she wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have this conversation. Or she wanted to chain him up. The girl saved his life.

Or she wanted something more. He was still aiming at her.''What are you?''

Her brow arched and she spread her hands dramatically.''But of course''She gasped and began shouting louder but slower

''I am the one who was the world's gift. I was made for great use as a savior. I am the one who will not disappear until my purpose is achieved. When the time comes, the I who will struggled to bring balance to the world will fade once more.''

Mordred blinked as he just heard the tiny girl spitting prophecies.''You are not a Made One.''

''Well, you haven't seen a savior from above''She closed her arms and pouted like a kid.''I might be.''

Made Ones were supposed to be created by the image of the spirits. A loud little girl who was tormenting people did not seem to be the image of them.

''No, you are a Hecca Hybrid.''He let a spat.

She laughed, letting out a small bow.''Yes, the infamous child of a mortal and a blood demon, now meeting a warlock priest''She moved up.''Sounds like a bad joke doesn't it?''

Hybrids were the children of demons and mortals. Some of them could die when they stole their first breath. Others could turn into foul beasts. And some of them...

''I know when you lie'' The girl said as if she could read their mind. ''And when you don't''

Mordred gulped. Heart was racing like a train. The hybrid laughed.

''Or is it a lie?'' She grinned childishly.

''Why are you here?'' They asked and started groaning as they were healing slowly. As a result of the iron bullets, energy began to leave their body and the flesh began to heal.

''You knew you had been followed' 'Mordred gasped, looking at her with darted eyes. ''Back there. The man that...''

''I wanted to see what you were capable of'' She emerged at him with her hands inside her pocket pants.

''It would be pretty ironic if you died in a temple wouldn't it?'' She asked and moved closer as Mordred.

Mordred did not speak and thought about Hephaestus earlier. Of how magic is science. How could they see actual signs, such as Made Ones, proof of the Spirit's existence, lived once in this world and protected it?

He snapped right away from his thoughts and looked at the girl.

The girl with the name Mara told him everything about Mammon's plan. Taking all three of them as prisoners so he would be a savior in the eyes of the world. And about the Royal's condition.

Over a hundred soldiers were guarding the exit, she said.

And also they could not make it back alive. They couldn't even win against two soldiers alone. Hephaestus was somewhere with a bottle and a bullet at their back. They knew that they had one for sure. After all, Mordred was the one who hit them.

They could have done it but this time something changed. It was as if they weren't sure what to do.

''Will you help us then ?'' They finally asked her.

''I will make a deal with you'' She corrected with a rasping voice and glared at them furiously.

''And why should I trust you?'' One more question.

''A game of trust'' Mara replied. ''I gave you something valuable''

''The bottle'' Mordred sighed. ‘’Why did …'' He tried to speak, but the girl interrupted him quickly.

''And you would do anything to get out''She looked away from him and kept talking by lowering her head as her lips twitched. ''Even kill''Mordred clenched their fists and growled with their mouth pressed in a thin line.

''You planned the man to take you''

''Actually, Mammon did'' She corrected him. ''I found the opportunity to start the game and I took it''

''Why do you really want to make a deal with me?'' Mordred asked.

''Not only with you''She said again, tilting her head left.

Mordred's eyes snapped, looking at the girl's devious grin.

''Four warlocks after a strange object'' She made a long pause, turning behind her back and then right to Mordred.''With the Royals and army after you?'' She asked curiously.

''It will be chaos. An interesting story that I want to be alive to tell someone'' She sounded playful as if everything was a game to her. ‘’An interesting story that I would love to play a part in.’’

''You are an insane kid'' Mordred complained at her, holding their shock

''I am fifteen''. The girl whined kicking dirt with her boot.

Mordred rolled his eyes and looked away.''Same thing''

The healer now knew that they could not get out alone. They looked at the flowers on their pistols. Only twenty bullets for both of the weapons. Not enough for a hundred armed soldiers.

Lifting their head, they could see the girl's eyes. The dark color of her eyes is a reflection of both hunger and greed dancing together. From the second she appeared, her eyes did not move from the pistols.

Seeming to notice his realization, the girl looked at him with a forced stiff smile and inhaled sharply.

"You just want to get out. ", Mordred said.

''Clear sky, wind, trees'' She said counting with her fingers. ''Fancy dresses, delicious food, red apples'' She made a long pause and lifted her pinky finger. ‘’Money.’’

She let out one scoff moving her hands in the pockets of her gray dark pants. ''How could someone like me crave things that someone else has?'' She said dramatically with a soft pout.

''This''Mordred panted lie. ''Is not all, is it?'' He asked her heavily.

Her hands reached the height of her shoulders, pointing upward with her index fingers.

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‘'I do not ask you about your reasoning,’' she said, moving both of her index fingers together as one. ''And you do not ask about mine'' She laughed with both indexes now attached as one. ''One of the rules of the game.''

''And the others?''He asked her.

''Do not betray''She narrowed.

Mordred looked down again, letting themselves think about the right answer to tell her. They lowered their gaze, right at her leather collar.

''You will find a way to get me out with the others'' Mordred rasped.

''A small window''Mara corrected him.

''In return, you want to come with us out..''

''You are not the smartest aren't you?'' She laughed.

Mordred's face flustered and he stood up. Without the mask, all his honest expressions were out in the crowd. And the gazes made their heart twitch, racing from the shock.

Mara lifted her head higher realizing that the healer was twice her height.

‘’I just,’’ Her fingers slipped at her collar slowly, taking one deep breath. Mordred’s face heated from embarrassment. The Hybrid, the girl, was trapped.''I just want an exit. That is all.''

She looked up at him, noticing the sign of pity in his hidden expression, and cleared her throat.

''Do we have a deal?'' Mara offered her hand for them to shake.

The healer clenched their jaw and thought about Hermes's opinion.

Kill her instantly. They were ready to kill her when they first noticed her features. They were ready to kill her when she entered from the darkness and killed the soldiers. They would have killed her. And now, they were planning everything they had to do.

''I am going to help you escape'' Mordred said, moving his hands right at his back. When you are out, I will kill you.

''Just like you will help me escape'' He continued.

They found Hephaestus hugging a soldier. Their clothes right at their back are painted red.

He let out a groan and looked directly at the pistols. He could do it. At that moment, he could take the bottle from them. But then they saw the look in their eyes. Fear. The same fear they showed the night the healer met them.

It was then that they decided to take them away and follow Mara to their destination.

There was an abandoned temple that was close to the moat. The iron was stained with olive green paint as there were two iron letters, hanging at the building, ready to fall.

Mara jerked her head to him and let herself inside. Mordred waited for seconds, minutes. Until she walked out again with a wide curled grin across her wounded face.

Walking inside, carrying the weight of Hephaestus’ body and prosthetic leg, Mordred could see that the temple was empty. No followers or people. No statues or paintings. Just empty with darkness

Now, the girl was at the stairs. His brow twitched, feeling the Gunsmith's weight becoming heavier. Did she want to help them or make them even more tired?

It was a small apartment inside the temple, filled with drawings. As much as many times Mara told him to not look at them and ignore them, Mordred took two pieces of paper to look at them with the help of the candlelight, making the doodles bright.

It was hard to discern what it was supposed to be. Was it a tree? A mountain? A bird? There had to be something that Mara drew from her head or that was the way she was imagining those things to be. There was a diary next to the pages, wide open. They looked away when they heard footsteps approaching and closed it with their boots. But they had managed to read one sentence. I failed to get out again.

Their eyes fell on Hephaestus who was still sleeping. They tried to take the bottle away from them but their grip was stronger than they imagined. Even if they were unconscious they could not let go.

Taking out their pistols, they caressed the flowers once more, muttering a few prayers for good luck.

''I am back'' Mara announced as she opened the door. Mordred looked back and saw Ukko and a thin girl around his arm. Their hands trembled when they saw her condition, making Mara's drawings fall.

They turned their head to the left, where the bed was located. Ukko shook his head and laid her down.

None spoke later as Mordred was moving their hands around her body, trying to heal her. They felt a strong amount of energy leaving their body.

Mordred had used his incantation to heal himself, to heal people with weak energy, countless times but this was different. The iron could not resist conquering the girl. It was a miracle that she was still alive.

Mara walked close to the door and sat down, leaning her back against it.

Mordred took a deep breath and looked at Ukko, restraining his fear and tears that threatened to fall from his eyes.

''Don't'' He replied. ''Don't tell me that she..''

The girl opened her lilac eyes and gasped for breath. She glared directly at Mordred and kept breathing heavily.

''Your Grace'' Mordred spoke.

The girl shook her head. ''Are you the one that Hestia..'' She tried to speak but blood started falling from her mouth.

Mordred nodded. She chuckled as she studied him from head to toe. ''I was expecting you older'' She complained with narrowed eyes and then turned to Ukko who sat down on the bed and tried to hug her.

''I am dying aren't I?'' She asked slowly with a small mumble. Mordred was ready to say something. To lie. He wanted to lie to her. But what was the point?

Hephaestus woke up. And after they let the sharp piece of steel down Mordred told them everything.

They did not speak. They just kept silent and tried to look away while they held the bottle again tight.

They all let every weapon they could find down to a small table. The remaining bullets of Mordred's guns. Two more fillers, two pistols, and a carbine from Mara as two daggers. Five pieces of steel from Hephaestus's bag as well as ten devices and an electric glove. And now, the bottle in the center of it all.

None spoke. Mordred could see how clear it was that the only incantation that could work was Ukko's incantation. And even his wouldn't work against the iron.

Mordred shook his head and turned back to Lucifer. He had to try again but his hands couldn't stop shaking when he was trying to heal her from the iron. His back was heavy as a liquid moved around it.

''You know'' Mara finally spoke again. "I am not willing to die in silence altogether.'' She stood up and took a deep breath before trying to speak. ''There must be a way to solve all of this, right?'' She asked nervously.

''And what can you do?'' Ukko asked with a frown. ''Why can't you just walk away?''

''Well, I can make smoke with mana and dry paint.''She suggested. ''I could leave and probably none would even notice me.''

''Making smoke to run?''Mordred crossed his arms and scoffed.'' People will notice it.''

And Hephaestus side-eyed them with pressing mouth.'' Really?''

''Your machines not mine''He whispered.

''You stole them not me''They explained and the Hybrid clapped her hands together

''My talent'' She lifted her hand close to her face. As her fingers moved to her palm, touching each one fingertip every time, everyone could see the ice appearing and retreating.

''It works better when I am close to someone'' She rose her brow and smiled cockingly. ''And for those who are not dressed up with iron''

‘’So you can do nothing’’ Mordred grunted.

‘’Uh, you have a good deceiver.’’She said and waved her hand dramatically.’’I can bring good commotion.’’She then frowned at all of them. ‘’What about you?’’

The gunsmith was the first one to raise their hand slowly. ‘’I can make explosives’’They announced.’’

‘’Not enough assets for you to use’’The Hybrid explained to her.

‘’I can fight,’’Ukko said next.

‘’An entire army?’’

The Hybrid turned to Mordred with a wide grin.

He took a deep breath and turned his head away from her. ‘’I am a healer.’’

‘’A healer?’’ She asked, amused, and moved to the Royal.

‘’I assume you are …’’

‘’I can attack too.’’She groaned tiredly. ‘’Just in…’’Her cheeks turned dark red.’’Out of here.’’

Mordred and the others agreed in silence. Lucifer coughed again and looked at Hephaestus. They turned to her and squealed, trying to think about what they could say to her.

''Your grace,... No...Lucifer...Miss Lucifer?''

''Lucifer is fine'' She rasped and stood up and moved away from Ukko. She got down on her knees and looked at the bottle on the table.

''She is right'' Lucifer said again and coughed, making Mara look surprised. And Lucifer disgusted by her own words ''We have to leave''

''We have five hours till the mighty Queen is going to come here to take you away'' Mara responded with irony.

Both Mordred and Ukko agreed with a nod. Mordred faced Hephaestus who was still keeping their mouth closed. They stretched their wrists and took a deep breath. ''We have to yes..'' They said shakily.

''And I know how,'' Lucifer announced.

''You are not giving yourself in'' Ukko warned her as he could read her mind.

Lucifer sighed and stood up. ''It is the only way'' She responded and played with her ring finger. ''If I have to die...'' She took another deep breath.

''None is dying'' Mordred announced. ''And none is getting surrendered'' He turned to the Royal harshly as if he had given her an order.

He had finally made his choice. He had to help them. Orders or not, some people needed his help. And he needed theirs. Their strength, ideas, and even inspiration.

So all of them could return back to Babel alive and with the artifact. There had to be a stronger healer than him so Lucifer could live.

But an hour passed and none had offered any idea. No sign of hope.

The healer found the opportunity to get out of the room to think. Or scream inside his head. His face was naked, exposed from each gaze he had been attacked by. Heart pounding and breath shaking like a leaf.

He got down, shrinking his knees to his torso, and looked at the bottom of his feet as his eyes were slowly losing the light. His heart and breath are even louder with everything else becoming an echo.

STOP LOOKING. STOP IT.

‘’Hey,’’ The gunsmith’s voice snapped the echo. Mordred turned his head to their side, to find their hand, wrapping a white peace of clay. His mask.

‘’Do not worry’’Hephaestus shrugged. ‘’I won’t look at you’’They arched their left eyebrow and sat right next to them with their back leaning against the wall. Mordred snapped the mask from their fingers and found a dark mark close to the left eye. But instead of complaining, he moved the mask to his face once more.

Heart back to normal, breathing steady, and eyes facing the wall.

‘’Thank you’’He nodded and looked at their left wounded shoulder. He had taken the bullet off and yet it still seemed stiff.

His hand searched from their arm to their shoulder, without even any thought. Hephaestus did not speak either. They just let his hand caress their skin.

He could say to them what he saw. Them and the soldier talking. But instead.

‘’I will not apologize for the bullet’’He said coldly. ‘’I made the right decision’’

‘’You are not the first one to shoot me’’ Hephaestus laughed with a groan while Mordred felt energy getting out of his body. ‘’Not the past week at least’’

Healing the flesh, Mordred felt the heat from their back becoming stronger. How many times he had tried to heal those marks? Three hours? It was enough time for Herms to realize that he had to pull Mordred away from the body. Blood was dripping from his nose and fell to the floor.l

Sometimes, the soul doesn’t want to be healed. Hermes told him, cleaning the blood from the robe.

They had four hours. Four hours till their death. No dark stones to use to get away. Just a few weapons and four unreliable warlocks against the army and people from Diyu which are filled with greed. Mordred felt as if he had stepped inside a bad joke.

‘’Do you think we can trust them?’’ He jerked his head to the door. He could listen to the Royal arguing with the Hybrid as the Soldier was trying to stop both of them. Hephaestus rose their chin up, exposing a few of their harsh hair.

‘’I trust my morals’’ They grinned with arrogance.

‘’Your morals will get us killed’’ Mordred scoffed and avoided their face once more. A second later, Hephaestus let out a loud sound and cupped Mordred’s mask with their hands, pulling them close to him. He found their eyes burning with passion with light jumping

‘’You are a pretty genius sad boy’’ They laughed, standing on their height and opening the door with a kick from their cane, leaving everyone surprised. Even Mordred who was now standing right behind them.

Hephaestus stretched their wrists and their lips curved a big grin while their eyes were now wide open. They started laughing and then hit the ground with their cane three times.

''You are scaring me'' Ukko told them.

''I have an idea'' They sighed and their bright blue eyes fell on Mordred, waiting for him to say something. Mordred thought about the soldier and them embracing each other. Was that the person they needed to see? A mortal and a soldier? Mordred could not figure out if they were stupid or insane...or even both. Their eyes fixated to the red liquid.''I know what it is...I know who...''They made a long pause, swallowing their words.''I know. What it is.''

He thought about what Janus said to Hermes when they were still unconscious. They were smart based on their devices and the plans they made.

Mordred stood right next to Hermes, keeping his thoughts to himself, as Janus encouraged him that their ideas might strengthen Babel.

Even if the papers and devices appeared to be from someone who had an advanced mindset, Hermes said that it still did not mean that it would be helpful for Babel.

He turned to Mordred, waiting to say something, and listen to his opinion. But in the end, he just shook his head and agreed with his superior.

''Tell us'' He finally said to Hephaestus. Smart or not, they had to find a plan. None else had.

But those single words made Hephaestus' expression brighten again.

''And how can we trust you?'' Ukko asked. ''You were ready to kill me and them'' He tilted his head at Hephaestus.

Mordred let out a long sigh and looked at all four of them and then he shrank his body as he was now on his knees with his head touching the dirty floor. He could hear a gasp coming from Ukko and Lucifer.

'' I will not apologize for my actions'' He said.

''I do not think you know how trust works'' Hephaestus corrected him.

''I am not asking for forgiveness.'' He explained, cocked his head, and looked at Lucifer. ''Right now, all of us have a common enemy. And for now...'' He made a long pause and looked around from Hephaestus to Ukko and Lucifer and at the end, he laid his eyes on Mara.

''I need you to trust me'' He said. One. Two. Three. There were four seconds of silence before Ukko burst into laughter.

''Great,'' He turned to Hephaestus with a huge smile. Hephaestus scoffed and smiled in return as they glanced back at Mordred.

Mara and Lucifer shook their heads and remained quiet.

Mordred too.

Ukko grinned. "Tell us the plan!" He shouted energetically, waiting for Hephaestus to speak.

They turned to Mara and tapped their prosthetic leg.

''How much do you know about making a distraction?'' They asked her with curiosity. The girl arched her eyebrows, shocked by the question she was asked. And her lips curled into a devious satisfied grin.

''How much distraction do you want me to make?''