Chapter 3

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"This woman is Morgan le Fae." Nico informed them, enter the old possible church. Lotte tensed. Morgan was technically a higher ranking Fae than herself.

"I'll be the one to do the introductions here, Nicodemus Shroud," Morgan remarked then paused, observing her guests. Damian looked baffled at the woman wearing a dark blue cloak, a few thin locks of white pale blue tinted hair peeking out.

"A Guardian mage, an insult to my race and a human wielding the other half of the Sword of Destiny, I suppose Luck has decided to forgive me for my past actions." A gentle, almost saccharine sweet voice purred. But the undertones of slight irritation implied danger, sending chills down his spine. 

"We came, to be sure the prophecy really applies to Damian," Nico spoke. Damian was grateful because he was pretty sure he would have been intimidated.

"You carry the Sword of Destiny as though you have always held it. What more confirmation do you need?" Morgan responded simply.

Damian scowled "you sure you aren't just saying that so that you can dump all this kingdom's problems on me and I only just got here?" 

Barely visible beyond her hood, Morgan grinned sardonically. He did his best not to blink. 

"Lady Morgan," Nico said, catching her attention.

"Nicodemus," she said in response. Her icy violet eyes almost glowing from under the hood. 

"I request you to do a more thorough confirmation. For his sake, after all we are setting him up to essentially be executed." He bequeathed. "A vision of the future perhaps?"

"Hold on, why did she call you -" Damian startled. 

"My full name is actually Nicodemus Shroud," Nico began. "I'm a half fae, unlike herself." He remarked, averting his eyes. 

"The other half is human I'm guessing?" Damian asked. Nico didn't look at him. 

"Very well," she conceded. 

"Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos, by divine origin, grant me foresight. Repeat after me,"

A glowing, navy blue magic circle appeared with red colored runes on the circumference of it.

"Reveal unto me that which is hidden"

"Reveal unto me that which is hidden," Damian repeated dutifully.

"That which is past,"

"That which is past," Damian hoped his questioning thoughts didn't leak into the repeated words. He wasn't sure if that affected it or not.

"That which is yet to be" she recited.

"That which is yet to be," Damian said seriously.

In a blue tinted sphere the size of a serving platter was a projected image akin to a hologram. 

And like everyone else claimed Damian appeared to be leading an army. Various different races and people, most of which he didn't recognize, coming together to storm what looked like a golden castle.

The sword in his hand used to break down the enormous gate and slay the guards present. 

"Looks like a siege on the Castle Vesper," Lotte tensed.

"Based on the looks on the faces of all the members of his army, he was successful," Morgan said, a smile in her tone. Damian bristled. 

However the vision ended in an intense explosion of light and energy, eliciting panic from Damian. The explosion was nullified thanks to Nico who had activated a protective magic circle. "You and your jokes…" 

He panted breathlessly, driving the sword into the ground to prop himself up "a warning would have been appreciated," he huffed, a few drops of sweat dripping down his forehead and the bridge of his nose. "Thanks Nico,"  he muttered, still trying to gather himself.

"I'm surprised, I wouldn't think the future regent of Evil  would kneel so willingly" she smirked.

"Kneel?" Damian asked, confused.

"Not when you ask like that," Morgan snorted. 

"I asked you to confirm something for us. I didn't say toy with him, Nico hissed icily a lot closer than Damian initially realized. He faltered looking to his sides and seeing Lotte slightly hovering at his left, and Nico at his right. In an instant he understood and he glared at her. 

"You did that deliberately to see how we'd all react." 

Morgan pushed some white, pale blue tinted locks of hair back into the hood of her cloak, safely from view of the light.

"Perhaps, but I have the information you desire. If you let your anger get the best of you,do you plan to walk away when it's within reach? " She asked.

Lotte tensed and clenched her hands. Nico just closed his eyes and force smiled. Damian stood up reluctantly.

"Damian has been chosen by the Sword of Destiny, as such he will walk down that path to his predetermined fate and end in the place he has earned." She stated firmly. The words nothing more than another nail in the coffin.

"Very well, you have confirmed what lies ahead," Nico spoke first. Lotte said nothing.

"Thank you for your assistance, Lady Morgan le Fae." Damian commented. Morgan just smiled.

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While walking down the dark road, Lotte summoned a small lantern so they could see. They had somehow been in Morgan's pseudo church too long. It was now night, possibly ten o'clock.

"Hey would it be too much to ask you to to just take me home instead of finding a inn or whatever to stay in?" Damian asked in a resignated tone.

"I can't, my powers are weaker at night," Lotte explained. "Besides opening gates is beyond my abilities,"

Damian deadpanned. "You waited till now to mention that?"

Nico smiled sympathetically. "It's not exactly her fault, it's this way for all Guardian mages, no matter how much experience they have. Their powers are simply inefficient at sundown." Nico supplied.

Damian looked surprised. "Since I've known you and this place, this is probably the most you've spoken to me,"

Nico blinked, the tips of his ears turning pink.

"It's not so bad. I like this chance to know my friends better," Damian commented.

Nico looked at him, "you aren't bothered that you were kept in the dark about something that concerns you?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

Damian snorted. "Oh no I'm very much bothered by it." He blinked and looked thoughtful.

"But you know, take things in stride and you'll be better off," Damian remarked.

At that moment they were interrupted by footsteps.

The dim glow of the lantern permitted a circle of view in which the newcomer was just barely in. They could see his blonde hair and emerald green eye. As well as the fain light of the evening reflecting on the silver heavy knight armor in his frame.

"My name's Arthorias Pendragon. My friends call me Arthur." Arthorias introduced. "I typically do patrol at this time to watch for thieves," he explained.

"Aurthur Pendragon. Don't come back to my world, there's a couple of stories that dont paint you in a good light," Damian remarked.

Lotte sulked. "Damian why did you mention that?"

Damian and Nico looked at her curiously.

"No sense in being evasive, everyone will know just from the sword alone," Nico commented. Damian nodded and Lotte frowned.

'You two are back to switching back and forth between being the voice of reason and the one to agree...' She thought to herself.

Arthorias grinned however. Then his eyes fell on the sword in question.

"You have to hand me that sword." He stated seriously. Lotte gasped and squeezed her brother's abdomen.

"I'd love to give it to you, anything to leave this place, but it looks like it won't let anyone who isn't me wield it. Weird right?" Damian asked.

Arthorias narrowed his emerald green gaze at Damian. Lotte tensed "of all the times to run into a Knight...."

Nico bristled slightly as well. "We'll have to play it safe." He muttered.

"I don't think that's doable right now," Damian remarked.

"Ive trained for years to wield and control the Sword. It's best in my hands!" Arthorias exclaimed charging forward and swinging with the flat end of his own blade.

"I'm sure that may be the case!" Damian protested "but, I must point out that I can't seem to give you the sword." He replied dodging back like his life depended on it. Trying not to hold up the sword and and swing it. It wasn't hard to kill with any sword and he really didn't want to encourage the people calling him evil.

As if to make matters worse there were bystanders.

"A Villain!" A different voice called.

"Huh?" Damian sputtered. Lotte tensed.

"Please wait Sir Knight!"

Pendragon halted as requested while the leader of the territory they were in hurried towards them.

"We request this one assist us and slay the dragon that has decided to attack the village of Seoul-Mundele in the city-state of Montonui" the apparent villager requested, desperation in his tone.

Though the rooftops of many of the houses and inns were burned or singed, Damian didn't feel any responsibility towards them.

"They expect me to kill a dragon just because?" Damian deadpanned. He sat down in what he figured was a newly made chair. "Yeah right, I'm not getting burnt to a crisp," he huffed.

"Hmm" Lotte waved her wand and it became a sparkler.

Arthorias ignored him and jovially volunteered. He stood even straighter. "Damian, I volunteer to do it if you give me your swor-"

"I already told you I can't just give out the sword," Damian sighed. "Otherwise I would have given it to anyone long before now,"

"You would pass off the Sword of Destiny? To just anyone to save your own neck?" Arthorias asked aghast.

"Yup," Damian said calmly.

"Why of All the cowardly -" Arthorias protested.

"Lotte what are you doing?" Damian asked over Arthorias' complaining.

"Checking the area to see if there is really a dragon around." She announced confidently.

Arthorias looked at the commoners. "You don't seriously think that they're lying?"

"Do you doubt our words?" The city state leader asked abruptly. Clearly taking offense to the implications.

Arthorias gasped "No of course not!"

To Damian he whisper shouted "Now they're looking at me like I'm the villain!"

Damian looked at him, "you said it not me,"

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However the enormous red dragon the people said was called Landon, was not amused. Swatting aside Arthorias' every attempt to attack. Obviously Arthorias wasn't a threat worth using fire over as so far the dragon just knocked him aside using his tail or claws.

Arthorias was even trying to get back up from being blown away several meters by wind. Wind caused by the dragon simply flapping it's wings once.

"Hey I thought you said this would be easy" Damian remarked flippantly.

Arthorias turned towards him. "I said it would be easy with the Sword of Destiny! If you would give me the sword-"

"I already explained to you why I can't, the sword refuses to leave my side! Telling me 'no' and that it chose me for a reason and doesn't intend to go back on that choice." Damian argued as though a dragon wasn't looming over them, threateningly.

"The sword is but an object with a will, yours needs to be stronger--" Arthorias protested

"Yeah? Well the sword made its decisions. Grow up," Damian snapped.

At that moment he was slammed into the air by the dragon's tail. Lotte braced his fall with a wind spell so he landed not so gracefully on the roof.

"Ugh... I'm going to feel that in a few minutes, and it's not gonna be great," Damian complained. Getting on his hands and knees, stubbornly ignoring the dirt he picked up, he carefully looked around.

Nico knelt down next to him and healed the most serious of wounds.

"Hmm I don't understand why Morgan despised you, you've been nothing but helpful since I got here," Damian remarked.

Nico flushed. "You .. you should focus on your current task"

Damian frowned. "I already said I wasn't going to fight the Dragon."

Nico stared at him. "Your task is staying alive,"

Right then the dragon breathed a column of flames. Lotte flew towards it and summoned a barrier. Her magic straining slightly until Nico cast a enchantment to strengthen the barrier.

Damian deadpanned, "right how dare I forget,"

"Where Is This Supposed Villain? The One The Town Spoke Of Being Able To Slay Me For The Amusement Of It?!" The Dragon snarled.

"Your name is Landon, right?" Damian asked finally.

The Dragon made a reptilian noise of acknowledgement.

" I want to ask you something," Damian declared. "A couple of things if that's alright with you,"

The Dragon glared at him but gave no indication he was opposed to the idea of being questioned.