Chapter Thirteen: A Glimpse of What is to Come

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐫, 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐲!" 

- 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧

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Alaric POV

The medic looked over my body searching for any wounds before nodding "you're all good to go Sir Alaric you may return to your quarters if you wish," he informed I stood up from the bed with a slight crack coming from my neck "I'll be going then," I replied exiting the infirmary tent. 

My match with Sir Rodrick was the last one today the tournament would resume tomorrow it's not yet close time for me to see Lady Morgan for my lessons. So, I guess I could take the time to rest while practicing the meditation technique that Merlin had taught me in order to have better control over my clairvoyance. 

Returning back to my assigned quarters I placed my armor aside but kept my blade with me at all times after all one could never be too cautious even in an ally territory.

Taking a seat on the ground I closed my eyes and then began the process of the technique I wanted to see only a few seconds into the future I thought concentrating on what I wanted...but as usual nothing happened causing me to exhale with a hint of frustration. 

I wasn't aware of it, but a slight purple outline covered my body and the next thing I was aware of I was standing in the midst of a battlefield my eyes widen "what in God's name?!" I exclaimed in surprise. 

The sounds of both men and swords rang through the air "these knights are all apart of Camelot b-but why are they all fighting each other?" I question in pure utter bewilderment. 

"You fools need to stop all of you!" I exclaimed unsheathing my sword to block the attack of a knight attempting to strike down his fellow comrade only to phase right through them "huh what the-" I turn only to see that the knight had killed the other "but why?" I question with hidden anger. 

I helplessly watch as both sides begin to die off the sounds of two people dualling catch my attention I turn to face where the sounds came from "where is the king of knights?!" demanded an all too familiar figure covered in a white and red schemed armor "who are you?" I questioned wondering who this person even was in the first place. 

A corpse falls down revealing Artoria wielding Excalibur "Well? What now King 'Arthur'?! This is the end of your kingdom!" my jaw clenches at these words I feel an unstainable feeling of rage course through me.

 "Face the consequences for not acknowledging me as King! Is it hate? Do you hate me? You hate me because I was born to a witch answer me, Arthur!" the knight continued raising his sword. 

Artoria gives no reaction causing me to frown the way she was looking down at the other knight was simply unnerving to me because I could read no emotion from her instead, she silently blocked the knights attack but in the process her blade flew out from her grasp. 

"I have never hated you...if you want to know why I didn't give you the throne it's simply because you did not have the capacity to be King," Artoria replied in a cold emotionless tone before appearing in front of the other knight stabbing her right in the stomach with her spear. 

"Impossible..." I whispered seeing the face of Artoria's eventual killer for the first time "could it be that she's a clone or something crafted through magic she did say that her mother was a witch after all," I speculated to myself. 

Then the fated event happened for the look alike had raised her blade at the last moment stabbing Artoria by the side both of them collapsed dead. 

"Damn it no!" I shouted in complete helplessness if this was the future then I can't allow it to happen consequences be damned "I am afraid this a fated of event boy," came a rather ominous voice that sent chills down my spine "who's there show yourself!" I exclaimed. 

The voice gives no reply to my demand but continued "however should you stand between fate and take her place instead then both may live happily while you remain alone forevermore." 

The vision shifts and now I found myself standing between the castle of Camelot with all the cities knights both Artoria and the red-white knight from before stood side by side confronting a large army that rivaled Camelot's own army. 

My gaze shifts to the dark knighted figure floating in the sky both of his hands were engulfed in purple colored lightening his visor glowed a fierce indigo. 

"Go forth my Dark Knights ride forth for tonight blood shall cover this land," the figure declared causing all of his warriors to charge forth into battle "men of Camelot hear me now the day may come when our kingdom falls but it is not this day...this day we fight! Are you with me!" Artoria shouted causing her knights to cheer "then charge forth my loyal soldiers! My loyal knights! My loyal people!" she roared as her knights charged to meet the enemy in battle.

The flying figure in the air moved down unleashing a massive attack that obliterated half of the front lines he then reached down unsheathing a blade that was identical to Artoria's but if it was covered in darkness. 

Any man that approached the figure were swiftly cut down without any effort he continued walking through the army killing any other that got in his way like an insignificant bug it suddenly reminded me Vortigern all over again. 

I follow the figure watching him unleash several tendrils of darkness that held a couple of the knights in the air his blade moves downward cutting their necks with a slice of darkness.

The scene shifts and suddenly the dark figure was combating the red-white themed knight and by the looks of it he wasn't even fazed by her attacks "damn you take me seriously brother!" the knight exclaimed with rage. 

Brother, I thought with a side tilt "take you seriously hehehe how can I when your just so God damn weak Mordred!" the figure replied kicking the now identified Mordred through a field of rising dust he rolled his arms stepping through the field of dust. 

For a moment I could have sworn I saw my own self walking through the dust before the dark armored warrior reappeared in his place.

Mordred stood up with shaky legs her hands trembling she moves her sword to block the figure's strike, but it became clear that she was stuck on the defense. 

The figure moved forward pushing her back without any effort "you lack conviction," the figure said smacking her helmeted face so strongly that it shattered.

He didn't stop there though he continued his combo with a couple stronger sword strikes before launching her away with his last strike.

"You've always boasted yourself to be the near equal to Arthur but you're just a weak inferior copy with third rate sword skills that could never hope to match him," the figure taunted causing Mordred to grit her teeth. 

Blue energy gathers into her sword "I'll s-show you copy...tch this is the sword that succeeds over the one of selection CLARENT!!" she chanted out unleashing a beam of pure white energy but the figure only chuckled "touch a nerve, did I?" he questioned. 

Swinging his sword the figure cut the seemingly all-powerful attack in half "th-thats not possible," Mordred muttered in a broken voice.

"Here let me show you a real energy attack," the figured said settling into a very frighting familiar stance mana of pure purple engulfs his sword he then raised the blade straight up into the air. 

The ground trembles beneath the figure's power "behold LUMINOUS DESTRUCTIVE NOVA!!" the figure chanted "i-it can't be that's my own technique though!!" I exclaimed in pure denial.

A beam of pure indestructible power engulfed the area obliterating everything in its viscidity by the end of it all that was left were lingering purple flames along with a barely alive Mordred whose armor was half destroyed all that was left was her left arm gear and leg armor. 

The man approached the fallen knight grasping her by the neck he lifts her up into the air slowly choking her out causing her to gasp in pain.

"I could kill you...but that would be a waste of effort on my part so you can just lay here broken as I crush your father," the figure said tossing her aside. 

Slowly the figure walked away "d-damn it...forgive me father-r" Mordred stuttered out the scene shifted once again this time both Artoria and the dark figure stood across each other. 

"I trusted you and have practically raised you like my own son and in the end, you repay me with betrayal well why are you just standing there say something...Alaric!" the sword in my hands slips down to the ground "n-no that monster cannot be me I-I would never do this I wouldn't turn against Camelot and her people!!" 

The figure chuckles he reaches up unclasping his helmet before tossing it aside revealing my own face "this is a lie it's not real it's not real it's not real it's not real it's not real!!!!" I shouted clenching the sides of my head the world around me spins.

"This is the only way to save everyone you love Alaric there is no other way you will try to search for another way but soon you'll realize that the future cannot be changed unless you become me!" the voice declared with a broken laugh "shut up! shut up! shut up!" I exclaimed seeing more visions of what I would become if I were to prevent Artoria's fate. 

I released a loud shout of anguish "No...no...NOOOOOOOO!!!" my legs buckled collapsing onto the ground.

The image of the dark armored knight glowed behind me then there was only silence. 

-end of chapter thirteen- 

hahahaha such a tragic future that awaits for you Alaric cough cough anyways that's it for today's chapter see ya all on Wednesday for another chapter. 

Also I hope some people caught the references I made to LOTR and Star Wars.