We Have A Situation

[Back to Mordred]

"No bloody way."

I stared at Guinevere as she traced her finger along the edge of one of my white daggers.

Somehow she was doing that without cutting herself on the basilisk emerald-infused edge, but that wasn't the most surprising part.

"You mean those daggers belonged to Mum?", I asked Gawain with an incredulous look.

He nodded with a smile, "Indeed, Red. She told me about a pair of white daggers made of Moonsilver, but this is the first time I'm seeing them."

"Morg didn't take them with her when she left the Shield with us.", Guinevere chimed in, giving a smile, "She entrusted them to Master Lorvar. It was before he put little Dorothy in charge of the shop."

"Huh.", I murmured, accepting the dagger she held out to me and frowning, "Master Lorvar and Dorothy never told me about Mum."

Guinevere shrugged, "I guess they didn't want you to know your mum was a Deathwalker. They had good intentions, Mordred."

"Yeah.", I agreed, examining the pristine white surface of the dagger. My fingers brushed over the grey handle.

How many times had my mother gripped them? I wondered.

"Did they have a name?", I asked, looking at the High Queen.

Guinevere smiled and let out a chuckle, "Indeed she had a name for her weapons. She called them her Fangs."

"Fangs.", I echoed, tracing the green edge carefully. I chuckled, "Not bad."

"And you've modified them with morphium.", Gawain noted, "They can transform into another weapon."

I nodded and took out my second dagger, joining them together. The white Moonsilver morphed, and the twin daggers turned into my sleek white sword with a bright green edge.

Gawain whistled as I handed him the sword.

He stood up and twirled the blade, "This is well-balanced, even for me."

His green eyes glowed and the green edge of the sword glowed as well as he streamed ardor into the blade and did a thrust, releasing a gust of ardor that knocked some decorations off the fireplace.

He winced, "Oops. But the ardor conduction of the blade is marvelous. Moonsilver is truly amazing."

He grinned and returned the sword, "You got such a sweet toy, Red."

Guinevere agreed with a smile, "You could bring it with you when you leave next month."

"Ah, yeah. I'll be out by next month.", I realized, my thoughts drifting to Iris.

Guinevere noticed my expression and tilted her head, "Are you planning on staying here like most Deathwalkers?"

I shook my head, "Heck no. But I don't if I should leave now."

"Ah.", she immediately caught on, "It's about Iris. She has one more year left."

She kindly smiled, "You want to leave with her."

I stared at her, "How did you figure that out."

Guinevere looked proud, "I have my ways, Mordred."

"She asked Uncle Kay.", Gawain remarked with a sly grin.

"Oi! Stop exposing me!", she shot back, her cheeks tinted with embarrassment.

I laughed, "I'm impressed, Mother. Are you planning to put the intelligence division of the Phantom Knights out of business?"

Her face flushed even redder, "Oh shut up."

"Anyway.", she quickly changed the subject, "So you're not getting out next month?"

I shrugged, contemplating, "I don't know. I want to stay here for one more year and then leave with Iris."

Furrowing my eyebrows, I continued, "But Iris wants me to leave now and wait for her."

"Ah.", Guinevere nodded, "I believe she wants you to leave early because she cares for you. She wants you to get out of this hell as quickly as possible."

"But she will have to stay here and face the daemons for one more year.", I argued.

"And she knows she will survive. I've seen her confidence and her aura. She'll be fine.", Guinevere reassured me with a warm smile.

"But if you find it difficult to spend a year away from her and worrying about her safety, your decision to stay is also viable.", she advised.

"In the end. It is up to you, Red.", Gawain interjected with a smile.

"I agree.", Guinevere leaned back, "You still have a month to make a decision. So take it slow."

"And if you're staying for one more year, you and Iris better pay a visit to the Royal Palace to see Trinity shortly after leaving this place. She would be thrilled to meet her big brother and future big sister," she added, her smile carrying a hint of mischief.

"Mother!", I protested, my face feeling very hot.

"Awww! He looks so cute when embarrassed.", Guinevere teased and Gawain laughed.

Seeing them laugh heartily, I too couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

That's when we felt it.

A powerful wave of energy passed over us like a dark cloud and we immediately sat up.

"What was that?", Gawain asked. His green eyes, which were relaxed a few seconds ago are now on high alert.

"A highly concentrated ardor wave.", Guinevere answered and narrowed her eyes, "But there was something else. I detected a spark of Tenebris within it. It felt... ominous."

She wrapped her arms around herself, a shiver coursing through her, "It was as if Death itself had come calling."

"Tenebris?", I shot up from my seat, a sick feeling forming in the pit of my stomach, "Iris?"

Just then, the door flew open and Kay strode in with urgency written all over his face.

"Did you feel that?" he demanded, his tone tense.

We nodded and noticed his troubled expression.

"Kay? What is wrong?", Guinevere asked.

"We have a situation, Your Majesty.", he promptly answered, his gaze locking with Guinevere's.

"Minerva has lost all contact with Processing Room 12. It is also the origin of that energy wave we just felt.", he reported.

The High Queen frowned, "Processing Room 12? Isn't that one of the bigger rooms for processing new recruits?"

Realization hit me like the hammer of a daemon, "Is that where Iris went?"

The sick feeling worsened when the Commander nodded his head gravely, "Indeed. That's the place she was assigned."

"Screams were heard from that area.", Minerva added, her cold voice echoing all over the room.

"Screams?", I felt my breath hitching, dread gripping my chest. "Were they human?"

"No. Wraiths.", she replied curtly.

The next second I bolted out the door, heart hammering in my chest and the sickening feeling gnawing at my insides.

"Please be okay, you maniac.", I muttered under my breath and called Minerva.

"Take me to Processing Room 12."

*******

"Vice Captain!"

Artemis's voice stopped me in my tracks and I turned around.

The rest of the Lunatics trailed behind her, their expressions tense with worry, except for Carlo, who was notably absent.

"Carlo called us for help!", Artemis explained breathlessly as they caught up to me.

"What did he say?", I asked as we rushed along the corridor, following Minerva's directions.

"He's in front of the door of Processing Room 12. He can't get in.", Ava responded, her brow furrowed with concern, "He mentioned hearing screams."

"We also felt the energy wave.", Apollo added and shuddered, "It was terrifying."

"Yep! It was very chilling.", Krystal remarked.

"Fuck!", I cursed loudly, quickening our pace even further as we passed startled Deathwalkers along the way.

"It seems Minerva hasn't issued an alert.", Artemis observed, noting the surprised expressions of the Deathwalkers we passed.

"She must be preparing a response team, knowing we're headed to the room.", I surmised as we rounded a corner.

A surge of ardor washed over us, accompanied by the crackling of lightning.

"Everyone has their Spark Gloves?", I asked.

"Yes!", they chorused in unison.

"Good. This might get ugly.", I brought the Fangs and readied myself for a fight.

As we turned another corner, we came to an abrupt halt at the sight before us.

"Carlo?"

The young Devereux stood before us facing two damaged white doors, his chest rising and falling with exertion, his claymore crackling with red lightning in his grasp.

With a fierce cry, he unleashed a lightning-charged attack at the battered doors of Processing Room 12, sending a powerful shockwave of ardor rippling through the air.

"Carlo! What are you doing?", I demanded.

"Trying to break down the barrier!", he yelled, enveloping his claymore with lightning for another blow.

He unleashed another powerful strike. The attack struck the doors but did no damage to them, instead, a potent blue pulse emanated from the impact, sending ripples of energy through the air.

He gritted his teeth, "It's fucking tough!"

As we drew nearer, the horrifying screams of the wraiths became increasingly audible even behind the barrier, sending a shiver down my spine.

Dread coiled in the pit of my stomach at the thought of Iris being trapped inside the room with those abominations.

Suddenly, a heavy silence enveloped us.

The screams have stopped.

We all looked at each other and immediately activated our strands.

"We'll hit it together!", I declared and everyone nodded in unison.

"That won't be necessary.", Guinevere's voice echoed from behind us, her tone grave and commanding.

We quickly deactivated our strands and turned around to see the High Queen walking toward us with a serious expression, the air around her had completely changed and rippled with power.

Gawain and Kay closely followed behind her along with a few Deathwalkers and a team of healers led by the Doc.

All the Lunatics except I quickly bowed their heads in her presence.

"Mother?", I looked at her, a mix of panic and confusion evident in my voice.

"What are you-"

"Minerva teleported us here after we assembled a response team.", she cut me off and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Do not waste your powers on bringing the barrier down.", she gave me a small smile, "I will dismantle it."

With that, she approached the battered doors and hovered her hand over them.

Her eyes glowed as she analyzed the barrier.

"Thisbarrier could take on a few attacks from an S ranker. But it is quite weak now. Perhaps by Iris's aura and this young man's attacks.", she observed, her eyes flitting to Carlo.

Guinevere pursed her lips, "This is quite a simple barrier and it is controlled by someone named Jeko Hess."

We exchanged confused glances. 

Who is that?

Before we could delve into the identity of that guy, the High Queen swore.

"What the fuck, Minerva?", Guinevere shook her head, "You're losing your touch."

Her eyes glowed and a powerful wave of ardor passed over the translucent barrier. It was followed by the sound of shattering glass.

"There. I dismantled it.", she said with a smile.

I stared at her in awe. She figured out the barrier's properties, identified the controller and even dismantled it in a matter of seconds.

"That's the High Queen for you.", Artemis remarked in awe.

But Guinevere didn't respond.

Her smile disappeared and her face turned pale.

Her eyes, full of shock, were fixed on the floor.

All of us followed her gaze and dread enveloped us.

It was seeping out of the gap under the doors, soaking Guinevere's boots and pooling on the floor, turning the white carpet of the corridor a dark sticky crimson.

Blood.

Lots of blood.