MORDRED

The soup tasted horrible. The broth thickened and the duck burned to a crisp. There were only two bowls and no spoon so they had to share and drink with each other.

Mordred was facing Hephaestus, whose fingertips were twisting the cane in response to their commands.

They did not speak after they hid the bodies in the cave, or when they moved the soldiers' weapons inside the bag.

The little boy, now back at Mordred's side, smiled wide at them with sparkling eyes and his fingers moving higher so he could snatch his mask.

‘’Get it out of me’’ Mordred turned to Ukko and almost begged him to take the boy away.

‘’I took care of one of them and that’s enough’’ The Guard replied, crossing his arms around his chest and facing the fire.

The woman laughed and stood up, walking to Mordred’s side and taking her son from them. As they thanked her, they returned to Ukko.

‘’What do you mean?’’ They asked.

‘’I have a sister back in Aztlan’’ He replied, with a shrug.

‘’You raised your sister?’’ They asked again, almost confused.

‘’Do you think parents raise their children when the eldest one exists?’’ He shifted to Mordred with a loud shout.

They did not reply. They just could not believe that such an immature person could have someone to take care of. Then again, looking back to Lucifer’s worried eyes. She did not let Ukko escape her sight.

‘’What is she to you?’’ They asked, lifting their head to show Lucifer from behind whose fingers were tapping the cup.

‘’Why would you like to know?’’ He arched his brow cockingly.

They shrugged and shook their head.

‘’You said that you had a superior,’’ The Guard muttered.

‘’Hermes, yes’’ They agreed.

‘’He is the one who ordered you to…’’The Guard tried to speak.

‘’Yes, he did’’ They explained and looked back at Lucifer.

‘’And you would have actually’’

‘’If she had given you this order’’ Mordred asked the Guard. ‘’Wouldn’t you follow it? You are her Guard. She is your superior’’

‘’She wouldn’t though’’The Guard insisted. ‘’She is not like that’’

Mordred hummed, listening to the Guard's screeched voice.

Looking at the Royal she actually did not seem to be a person like Hermes. Not the one who would want someone to kill another. Either Hermes wanted unless it was necessary though. No, their superior was kind to them from the beginning. Their friend.

The woman thanked them by offering them two loaves of raisin bread and one more prayer. Mordred suggested to the woman to come with them. She denied it and moved her son back to her side.

‘’It is better for us to stay far from people’’Her eyes moved to Hephaestus’s side and nodded.

‘’May the Spirits and the Bird of Fire guide you to your path’’

As they turned the opposite ways, the little boy rushed to Mordred one last time, embracing both of their feet, tight.

When his mother pulled him away once more she thanked them, again and again for everything till tears were ready to shed.

In the next hours, they found a military car in the middle of the forest. Probably from the soldiers who attacked them earlier. The keys were still inside as they imagined their job would be easy. Lifting their eyes, looking at the wall, Mordrec could judge the walk would be one day road by foot. So, they suggested taking the car as Mara was now on the wheel, ready to turn on the engine.

Both Ukko and Mordred rushed to her side to pull her to the backseat, imagining the worst thing she could do was fall to a tree and crush it completely.

Ukko was not a safe driver either. But he was the only one who could drive. Mordred was sitting back, next to Hephaestus they had rested their forehead on his stiff shoulder. Their breath was warm but their movements were not. They were muttering, whimpering sounds that could have been words. On the other side, the Hybrid was snoring and hugging her feet close to her chest, resting far away from the others. The Royal was sleeping too on the seat next to the Guard.

But Hephaestus was fighting their dreams, keeping Mordred awake.

‘’Don’t’’ Hephaestus cried. ‘’I didn’t mean…’’ He tried to ignore it but then a name gasped out of their lips. Venus.

The voice felt familiar, sentimental about that name. One memory of the man with the white braids returned to his mind. The movement of his eyes as he stared at them. The regret.

Mordred took a deep breath and woke them up by touching their shoulder.

Their eyes snapped frightened. ‘’What?’’ They asked.

‘’You were muttering again’’He whispered.

‘’Oh,’’ They gasped. ‘’What did I say?’’

He changed the subject fast. ‘’It is better for you to not sleep.’’

‘’And end up like you?’’ They fixed their posture and looked at him from head to toe with a nasty grin.

‘’I am sleeping’’ He explained.

The mechanic laughed softly.

‘’I am’’ He tried to make them believe it. He almost laughed

‘’Then sleep’’They almost command him with their face moving closer to him.

Spirits, even in the dark their eyes were shining like bright glass of diamonds.

That stare was enough to make the priest weak.

He looked down, trying to avoid anything else coming from them, and pushed them away softly.

‘’I will when you stop annoying me’’Mordred scoffed.

The wall was right in front of them and Mordred had landed the hook the third time he threw it.

Climbing and landing on the other side was not as difficult as they had imagined. The royal and Hephaestus almost managed to fall from the rope but The Guard caught them both twice. The hybrid’s movements were fast so she was the first one to land on the other side.

The next few days were calm. The bread tasted better than the soup, even if the Royal was pulling the raisins away from her piece to eat only the bread. In contrast, the Hybrid was eating only the red raisins.

But the nights were rough. During the few hours they were supposed to rest, Mordred could only think about everything Hermes or the council would do to them. Kill them, imprison them, let one life or not…cast them out.

‘’Hey,’’ Hephaestus gasped, waking up in front of their nightmares. Again.

‘’What’s the matter?’’ They asked shakily.

‘’You should rest’’ He suggested with a whisper. Hephaestus laughed and crawled closer to him with their hips being dragged to the winter leaves.

The moonlight reflected on the top of their hair. Their eyes deep in curiosity with heavy dark circles underneath.

‘’How long till Babel?’’They asked.

‘’Tomorrow we will probably be there’’ He explained, facing his silver mark on the wrist, caressing it with his thumb.

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Hephaestus nodded and hummed, resting their body once more against his as if his boundaries were invisible to them.

‘’Promise me something’’ They asked. ''I know, I know what might happen when we go there so please.''

‘’If I promise’’ Mordred rested his breath, out of his lungs, desperate for Hephaestus to stop talking.

‘’If something gets wrong..’’

‘’Hephaestus, I am not going to…’’

‘’Do what you think is right’’They interrupted.

The cold breeze made the leaves shake, creating calm music in Mordred’s ears.

‘’No orders’’ They said after. ‘’Please’’ They muffled and closed their eyes. Their lashes were thick and long, trembling in the wind.

Mordred turned his head to the others, looking at them with a hidden meaning. The Guard had covered Royal’s body with half of his coat, pulling her closer to his side and keeping her warm. The Hybrid was ten feet away from them, hugging her knees with her back leaning against the trees. They were resting and Mordred could only imagine their end.

Looking back to the pistols he was still wearing around his waist, it only could paint his cheeks with warmth.

The young healer, as arrogant as they are, and their head is filled with knowledge about the world and the cause which they are fighting for, they do not have the same amount of comprehension about their past.

They could remember that they were wearing the light colored cassocks with pride and joy. They could recall the warmth and the smiles that they were receiving from the crowd and the other priests. They could remember the laws that every priest should obey so they could serve spirits correctly.

Say the truth and the truth only. To serve the spirits you will have to find the messenger of them and give your loyalty to them.

They could remember the lake of blood that they were stepping inside the temple while they were the last ones standing. Every fallen body had wounds from bullets or giant scars as there were pistols and knives, gathered around the blood. Mordred’s body and clothes were clean. Their back aching from the pain, eyes darted from the terror and confusion. Knees weakened, making him fall to the blood. Hands shaking with the blood around them.

The warmth he once felt was lost. The light of the Spirits was fading.

‘’Please no’’ He whimpered, trying to remember what had happened.

Someone was approaching with small fast steps. Mordred looked slightly behind him only to see a peculiar figure with light surrounding it. His vision became blurry as the light around the figure became stronger. His head started spinning around. He was weak. Weak from the pain, weak from the confusion, weak from fear.

As he was about to fall, the figure rushed towards him and wrapped its long arms around him, pressing his head right at their shoulder. There was the familiar feeling of warmth again, conquering his body. His heart started pounding slower and slower, for a moment before he completely shut his eyes.

‘’It is alright’’ The figure whispered and caressed the healer's nape.

You are safe.

He took a deep breath before he shifted his gaze back to the Gunsmith who was now sleeping. It did not matter what he had to do. He would do whatever it took for the light. Even if that meant his hands would be stained red.

Finally, after hours of the Hybrid complaining about the road and the Royal being slowly dragged by the Guard, all of them were finally right in front of a cliff.

Everyone hesitated about moving forward. Mordred did not blame them, so he shifted to Hephaestus. They were as nervous as the rest.

‘Whatever happens’’ Mordred turned back and looked at them concerned. Sadly, no one saw it and only listened.

‘’Let me do the talking, alright?’’

Everyone shook in agreement and Mordred rested his lungs by taking two steps to the cliff. Warm air pushed the cold far from his naked skin. His eyes could recognize the familiar place he was raised in. Demons and warlocks together living in peace on the great floor. The ceiling from above being bright with the rest of the stairs, leading to the next floor. Everything stayed the same. Till One old demon turned to his side and took a step back, falling to one of the stands with her cane falling to the ground.

Mordred, confused as they were, they took a step closer with Hephaestus and the others following behind, amused.

‘’Stay away’’ The demon screamed, looking over her shoulder at the rest of her kind.

‘’Stay away, Stay away’’

‘’What’s going on?’’ Hephaestus took two painful steps to Mordred’s side. Each of the demons had the exact face of fear, just like the first one. Fear reincarnated.

‘’Tell us where Hermes is’’ Mordred ordered the closest warlock.

‘’Don’t’’ A demon shouted.

The crowd kept gathering all around them with fear and confusion at the making of the demons.

Mordred looked back over his clothing and noticed Mara’s face was fully covered, just like her scar.

‘’Don’t look at me’’ She shouted dramatically.

‘’We just need to go to Hermes’’ Mordred said.

‘’Get out of Babel’’ The demon girl said again with fear in her voice and snapped her fingers, making her sharp dagger move by her commands to Mordred’s apple. ‘’All of you’’Mordrecd gulped as the eyes had fallen on all of them, and mostly on him. A tight knot in his heart again could even pressure his throat to close the gate for the air to get out.

‘’Should we attack?’’ Mara whispered from behind, close to Ukko’s side.

‘’No’’ He answered and then frowned, rethinking his response.

‘’What is the meaning of this ?’’A voice shouted from behind the demons. As his presence STORMED from the crowd, Mordred found Hermes staring at the woman with a rough frown. The woman licked her lips and pointed her finger at them with eyes burning with hatred.

‘’They can’t be here’’ She stated with a snarky tone.

‘’You are saying this for everyone’’ Hermes reminded her with a gentle smile. ‘’Now, please go to your jobs’’ He ordered and looked slowly to Mordred’s presence, acknowledging his existence. His jade eyes lit up, letting out a restless breath. After that, he embraced Mordred fast, letting his warm skin rest on his shoulders. Something did not change.

‘’I thought that you got caught’’He said with his warm arms, squeezing Mordered’s body tight. The sudden light caressed the center of his chest, and Mordred’s heart raced with joy.

Taking his hands up and down the back of his superior, Mordred shook his head away from his arms. ‘’I need to tell you something.’’