MORDRED

As the healer emerged from the veil, out of Naraka, he found the Hybrid panting and looking up to the sky. Whimpering, she expressed relief and salvation.

After that, she burst into laughter. As her teeth and snaky tongue were exposed, she was the one Mordred should be concerned about.

And then, she groaned from the pain. At that moment, Mordred looked at the chain of his pistols. Cut her breath, thinking of how easy it would be to kill her. They took a few steps to her side, behind her back, ready to take her life from her body.

''Shit, it hurts'' She growled, grabbing her head, and then her hands found her collar, freezing the iron completely, breaking it, letting herself free.

He had to kill her. Hermes ordered him after all if they found one. One of her kind.

As they were about to dress her neck with a chain necklace, Mordred hesitated. What if it does not work? What if she fought back? Why because the bottle could not die and tell the others everything. They would probably run or worse.

Instantly, they put their pistols back into their belt and took their cloak out.

''You haven't gotten used to the air here'' They turned right in front of her, kneeling to her height. Her eyes flinched and her teeth gritted. Her hands clenched the cold winter grass tightly. Her gaze did not escape from the sky.

''Or the different light'' They moved their dark cloak. She did not move as they dressed her back and head with the warm fabric.

After the shock, she looked at the white mask with astonishment.

''It will help'' they explained. ''And cover your eyes''

Her gaze widened and her fingers moved shakily at his neck. Mordred raised his guard and then, her hands touched the collar.There was that freezing tingle on his spine, making his back ache as the collar broke to pieces.One deep breath.One life.

''Thanks''She said, wrapping the cloak in her arms and trying to stand up without any help from the healer and turning back, watching Ukko walking out with the rest of the prisoners. A few of them yelled with joy as a few others thanked spirits. And others moved to Mordred and Mara, thanking them for getting them out.

''May the Spirits guide you'' An old woman with blue lake eyes said, looking directly at Mara as a wrinkled smile curved around her face.

''May they guide you too?'' She replied to the question and shrugged back to Mordred.

The soldier was now a few steps away from them as he looked back, watching both Hephaestus and the Royal getting out of the veil with a military few jumps.

''What took you so long?'' Mordred complained to them and began to run. They did not reply as military cars were now right behind them and soldiers shooting, aiming at any walking target.

‘’Wait, my hairpin’’ The Hybrid yelled as she moved to the opposite side of Mordred. But before she tried to move any further, Ukko grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to his side like it was a feather.

‘’Let me go’’ She said and started hissing in Diyun and she froze his collar.

''Oh, amazing job''He complimented her.

''You think?'''She grinned.

''But I will not let you go.''

Few of the prisoners managed to escape deep into the woods. The rest of them got shot in the head or stomach. Mordred wanted to turn back to help them but it was too late.

One of the cars managed to get inside the forest and the soldiers got out with weapons that could shoot iron nets.

One who was wearing a glove grabbed a warlock by her neck and her body started slowly breaking as she screamed at the top of her lungs.

The Guard moved back to the warlock and the soldier, flickering his fingers as a spare of lightning snapped at the tip of his hands.

''Not here'' Hephaestus said. ''Unless you want to make a fire''There was a tone of fear inside their voice.

As the rest of them managed to go into parts of the forest, hard enough for the soldiers to track them, both of the healershealer's legs were wrapped by the net. It did not burn like it was supposed to. But that didn't mean that the pain was gone. Their back was still in pain, the net was clenching tight to their feet.

They could still be weakened.

''Is this the one who got out of the fire?'' One of them asked, aiming their gun at Mordred's face. His eyes looked back at the rotten warlock's body. Then, back to his pistols. No bullets for him to work.

The soldier clenched her jaw and moved her hand to Mordred's mask, ready to take it out.

Their heart was pumping like the drums of war. Their ears silenced every sound they could interact with. Heavy shaking breath like leaves and eyes darting from horror.

''No''Mordred muttered as he could see everyone clearly when their face was now exposed.

''He is just a kid'' One voice echoed.

The healer wished they could remember how to breathe at that moment. Everyone’s gaze right is upon their face, studying and searching for a glimpse of guilt.

Cold panting and heart pumping fast like a train.

‘’Why is he smiling?’’ Another voice echoed.

His breathing was now a hiss. A panicked one. He moved his head down to avoid the soldiers' looks, but it was too late. They could still feel them, judging them, studying them. Looking at them.

‘’Doesn’t matter. Let’s take him back to..’’

The echo was followed by shouting and a sound of slashing flesh. A warm hand wrapped around Mordred’s waist, lifting him and pulling him far away. There was a clicking sound which also had a false noise. A sound from the engine. A broken engine. No. Not an engine. A leg.

As his vision started fading, the healer could smell a familiar perfume. Not perfume. Roses. There was a bouquet of red roses inside a golden vase with the wind blowing the scent of the flowers to Mordred’s face. Outside the window, he could still see Aztlan. The inventors working nonstop, the bakers selling bread, and the megaphones announcing the fallen soldiers.

The healer lifted his feet to take a better look before a voice shouted his name.

‘’It is time for prayers'' said the main priest of the temple. Stinked from Nektar and heavy smoke which he was offering to the young priest a few times a day. And he was always taking his offers. He could not say no, no matter how much he hated the smell or the way his head was feeling after each time he inhaled the smoke.

The room changed as the healer was now outside, watching white rain falling from the crimson sky. The air was harsh and dry, making Mordred’s eyes shed fat tears as the heat rose from the dry ground. Every hair in their body was lifted as chill caressed down their spine.

Mordred knew about that event. The fall of the spirits. The demons lost their mind that day, as they became violent, attacking each mortal, feeding on the blood of the innocents. A shout of crying broke right behind them. As they looked back, they found a basket, trapped between two rocks, right inside the crimson river.

As Mordred stood up, they noticed an infant inside. Breathless and tired, their eyes could see a dark figure made of smoke standing right above the basket. Studying it with a skeptical stroked look, the baby could not stop crying. As the tall lean figure moved its stroked sharp claw to the basket, Mordred tried to shout. To stop the figure from grabbing the infant. But it was far too late. The figure took the infant, embracing their arms tight.

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‘’Hush now’’ The figure growled with a rough burn. The baby’s tears stopped shedding as a small laugh broke after. ‘’You are safe now’’

Mordred’s chest had been stroked with a surprised warmth as they watched the figure treat the mortal flesh like a father, a parent would to their child.

‘’Wake up Love’’ Hephaestus snapped him out of his dream. His eyes were wide open as he managed to look at their face.

Cold air showered his face as Hephaestus leaned him down against a pine tree. His chest tight and throat close, Mordred turned to Hephaestus whose left hand was holding the white mask.

‘’Give it to me’’ He ordered them. The gunsmith snapped out of their thoughts, confused about his words. They pouted their lips before they gave it back to him.

‘’Are you alright?’’ Hephaestus asked with their neck now free from the collar too.

He took four deep breaths as his hand clenched the fabric close to his heart. A few seconds later, he replied with a shaking head. Looking down, he found their prosthetic missing a piece of steel. Lifting his eye snack, he could see their trembling eyes and fingers as they kept tapping their knees. It wasn’t difficult for him to realize what they had done. But Mordred did not want to ask them what they did exactly.

‘’Why are you here mechanic?’’ He growled heavily.

‘’Oh, thank you handsome Hephaestus’’ They tried to mimic their voice with a flirting tone. As they got on their knees, they pulled the iron net out of his feet and kept teasing him. ‘’You saved my life. How can I repay you?’’

Mordred clenched his jaw and made his hands tight fists. ‘’If you shut up, I won’t kill you’’ He interrupted them.

‘’If you die, we die’’They said after, pointing their index finger at him, right at his mask. Mordred blinked three times, remaining speechless by the rough tone of their voice.

‘’Do you think that if we go to Babel will welcome the rest of them and me with open arms?’’ They asked after with a frown.

‘’No’’Mordred admitted and turned his head away. ‘’I do not think so’’ He cut half the truth. Hermes would want the Hybrid dead. The Royal and the guard too. As for the gunsmith…They would run from any chance of safety Babel could offer them.

‘’So, better not to die soon’’ They clicked their tongue and stood up with the help of their cane and offered their free hand so the healer could stand up.

Their smile was wide and arrogant. Mordred rolled his eyes before he looked at the top of their hair. Copper brown and yet a few locks red like wildfire. Messy like hay a few hours later they were pulled by the scientist, getting out of their clinched hair. Eyes kind and bright that could look deep into your soul. Mordred prayed that they could not see him.

‘’Alright,’’ He took their hand and moved his body up.

‘’Also if you die, I will remove your mask so everyone can see your handsome face’’ They said cockingly.

‘’You are terrible’’ He replied, watching them walking in front.

While they were in the forest, the healer could not escape from the moment he saw the gunsmith, ready to kill the scientist. Their eyes were not kind or bright. But dark, burning in the fire of hatred.

He stopped walking and looked at them concerned. They said their name so they could turn back to him. He wanted to tell them…No. He wanted to ask them the truth. About what happened. If they were a threat just like the soldiers or even the scientist himself. But at that moment, the healer did not even know what he was. He chose to drink it, just like the rest of them. He did not die. Instead, he lived and the iron stopped working on him and the rest.

Would Hermes feel glad and let him stay by his side? Or…No, of course, he would let him stay. Mordred was not a traitor or an enemy of Babel. No matter what would be Hermes’s punishment or order he would fulfill it.

‘’Are there more secrets that could..’’ Mordred looked everywhere before he looked at them, and hesitated. ‘’Cause a mess?’’

They did not speak. Not fast at least They stretched their wrists and tapped their fingers on the top of their cane. Three times and then they stopped for two seconds. And then they tapped three more times.

''No'' they replied.

Mordred was a crooked liar but he was not an idiot. They lied right in front of his face. But the healer did not have the energy to confront them. He just wanted to go back. Back to Hermes back to normal.

In the center of a valley which Hephaestus guided him to, there were the Hybrid and the Royal fighting for the Guard. He was trying to stop them from killing each other by grabbing the Royal by her collar.

‘’You can’t come with us’’The Royal demanded her with her collar still around her neck. Seemed that she did not want the Hybrid to touch her. But if she kept having it any longer, a wave of electricity probably would strike her.

‘’And why not?'' The hybrid complained.

''Why is the hybrid...''Mordred tried to ask Hephaestus but he took his words back instantly. ‘’Why is Mara still here?’’He corrected himself.

‘’I have nowhere to go’’ The Hybrid pointed to her red eyes with her right index finger as her left hand was pushing the Royal far from her sight.

‘’That scientific bastard took my disguise’’

‘’Disguise?’’ Mordred frowned.

‘’My hairpin’’ She explained with a naive look. ‘’Also soldiers and citizens from Diyu would like to see my head away from my body’’ She shrugged and took a step forward. She exposed her big red eyes to both Mordred and Hephaestus.

‘’Can I stay?’’ She pouted. ‘’I promise I won’t kill anyone on purpose’’

‘’What?’’ Ukko shouted from behind.

Her fists crossed one another, waiting for an answer, and Lucifer disagreed instantly.

‘’She will cause nothing more than trouble.'' She explained her reasons and approached Mordred. She lifted herself with the tip of her toes, she leaned to Mordred’s ear.

She said with a stutter, "In addition, I don't... trust her."

The Hybrid let out a dramatic gasp. ''Princess.''

He frowned and looked back at the girl and then the Guard.

‘’What do you think?’’ He asked him.

The Guard shrugged and hummed in agreement.

‘’She helped us’’

‘’I cooperated’’ The Hybrid corrected him.

‘’And it is better to be close to one another'' Hephaestus added with a stutter and turned to Lucifer. ‘’We don’t know what the artifact was yet. What if a soldier caught her?’’

‘’Excuse me?’’ The hybrid whined. ‘’I am only getting caught on purpose.’’

Lucifer moved her shoulders close to her face and faced Mordred once more, waiting for his answer.

He let out a tired sigh and took a step back so everyone could look at him. A tight pain in his chest as his heart was racing.

"There are artifacts in Babel that can cover your eyes and ears,'' he told the Hybrid. A small smile curled her face, making the scar on her face appear swollen. ''Also''He turned to Lucifer.''She needs to take your collar out or you will get electrocuted.''

That made her color vanish from her face while the Hybrid laughed and froze the collar slowly. The royal's eyes darted thinking of how she could have died by her mistrusts. Then again, he did not trust any one of them either.

‘’Alright, Boss’’She replied with a military salute and walked away from the royal who was now stretching her neck and breathing heavily.

But after that, not even they knew if she could get out or remain alive. For none of them.