Chapter 156: Mordred / Afenos


    Mordred''s Perspective


    ___________


    After a few months, every soldier inside Camelot Barracks acknowledged me. Since King Lancelot himself personally invited me in his troops, the soldiers weed me with open hands. But some of them didn''t share the same sentiment, and gave me a difficult time.


    While fighting those soldiers, I received news about King Lancelot. These knights kept talking with each other, saying that he went on a quest. And King Lancelot was on his way towards the Kingdom of Caerleon.


    I didn''t care, since I had no affiliations with King Lancelot. Although King Lancelot was the one who recruited us, we didn''t have any intimate rtionship. He was just the one who invited me to join this barracks and kill those demons and monsters. Since our goals coexisted, I didn''t have any reasons to refuse.


    Those generals sent me their strongest warriors, hoping to tear down my spirits. However, the opposite results came, which widened everyone''s eyes..


    And my victories shone light ahead of me.


    After defeating the soldier in front of me, a knight approached me. The man had a jet-ck standing at my fore, with a sword clipped inside his scabbard. He raised his eyes as the bloke inspected my already exhausted form.


    I could only deduce that this knight was also a part of the round table.


    "Boy, what''s your name? And who trained you?" the knight asked.


    I returned my de inside my scabbard and replied, "Isn''t it more respectful if you had given your name first before asking someone? Anyway, my name is Afenos. But I call myself Mordred, since my mother originally called me that."


    After telling the knight my name, those soldiers who had eavesdropped on my conversation revealed their weapons. They aimed their swords and staved in my direction, while sending daggers at my figure.


    "You demand respect for Sir Geraint but you don''t respect him! Why would you even bring the name of our ki-....previous king! And why would sir Geraint apo-."


    My eyes widened upon hearing the word "previous king"ing from the soldier. I didn''t know who was the ruler of Camelot. But from what I remembered, King Lancelot offered me the spot for this knighthood. If this kingdom presented me with that information, King Lancelot was the present king of this Camelot.


    Little did I know that the information I received still had some abyss underground. But before I could even dig through those details, Sir Geraint stepped in.


    "That''s enough!" Sir Geraint, who the soldier introduced, shouted. "You''ve talked too much for a soldier like you. And why punish the child when he''s showing good results, unlike those who keep yapping from afar?!"


    Even though I didn''t converse with this man, Sir Geraint defended me from the soldier. The warrior exited the ce upon hearing Sir Geraint''s remarks. But after a few seconds, the knight red in my direction.


    The man crossed his arms and studied my movements. "As you''ve heard from them, my name is Geraint. But since I''m the knight of the round table, you should call me Sir Geraint. I am one of the strongest knights and a valiant warrior among my peers. It is the reason I am an official of this kingdom, despite my absurd strength."


    Sir Geraint didn''t hide anything from me and told me his title. Since Sir Geraint imed he was a strong knight, he governed the barracks and the soldiers.


    "I want you to spar with me. Since you''ve shown marvelous results, I don''t mind showing you what I am capable of. And I want you to know what youck in a battle, child," Sir Geraint added, as he pulled out his sword.


    All the soldiers in the area surrounded us and formed a circle. They nned on watching the fight of a young man against a veteran knight. And I was the one who would fight a knight from the round table.


    After shing our swords against each other, Sir Geraint had the upper hand. That knight had quicker reflexes, which collected the win. Even though I had my system running in my body, I couldn''t find any openings against Sir Geraint. It was a one-sided battle of a veteran and a newbie. But instead of sulking after one lost, I epted my defeat and learned from the match.


    Upon stumbling on the ground, Sir Geraint aimed his sword in my direction, right next at my nape.


    "Check and mate," Sir Geraint firmly mumbled to himself, as he offered me a hand. "You''ve fought well, brave kid. It is no wonder Sir.King Lancelot chose you, a special knight. If you keep improving like this, you''d be on the round table in no time! And if that happens, I will be the first one to mentor you. The round table needs some youthful candidates, after all."


    My eyes sparkled as I listened to Sir Geraint''s speech. "Really? If you could, please teach me the ropes and some abilities, Sir Geraint!"


    "I do not lie, kid. And, of course! I will personally rmend you to King Lancelot if I have the chance. But for now, I grant you the title of a baron! And you shallmand fifteen knights to your disposal! I will give to the knights soon once you run my errands."


    After our exchange, Sir Geraint told me his errands. He wanted to visit Merlin, the mage''s leader and the Academy''s director. Sir Geraint also gave me a letter that I needed to bring to Merlin. The scroll had a crest sealed in the middle. I could only guess that the design from this crest belonged to the knights and some officials of Camelot.


    I epted the note and hurried myself outside the barracks. My heart skipped a beat, since I would finally meet my sister. The two of us got separated into different factions, specifically the mages and knights. Considering our distinct attributes, we had to train apart and improve our fundamentals in fighting.


    "I can''t wait to see Rain''s new spells!" I shouted, while hopping on the road, passing by the countless bungalows from the vige


    The Academy was right past the vige and the market at the city''s heart. That building was not a part of the citadel at thetter, considering some risks. And those risks involved the dangerous spells these mages could conjure within the field. If those sorcerers were near the castle, those spells could destroy a castle''s part.


    Even though the moon had already hovered above the sky, children and some adults strolled within my vicinity. These people still sell their goodies at the people passing by, trying to find some potential customers out of them.


    I also overheard that my sister outmatched the court mages and sorcerers from every kingdom. Camelot didn''t hold any fighting events, but Rain presented some flying colours to them.


    Rain was the talk of the town and became a superstar within a dozen weeks. Everywhere I went, the vigers talked about her and the lights shooting from the sky. My sister could conjure four elements without fail. And she could discharge those magic circles at the same time, unlike some mages.


    Those vigers also included two siblings who became the strongest in their conversation. They ttered me as they continued pressing the topic, with some kids portraying my figure.


    And I was the other one, which the crowd had mentioned.


    Within a few minutes of running, I finally arrived at the said academy. The mages guarding the gate raised their eyebrows upon meeting my stout figure. But despite my knightley image, those sorcers denied me from the door and asked me to leave.


    I revealed the note with a crest stamped in the middle. "Sir Geraint wants me to visit this ce and deliver it to Merlin."


    As soon as the mages noticed the letter, they scrambled and slid the gates open. The door slowly revealed the insides, with the building greeting my eyes. And when I entered the ce, the gates behind me slid back.


    It was a structure I had never seen before. The school for mages had a field filled with different flowers and whatnot surrounding the area. I used my system and appraised everything my eyes could see. But after a few seconds, I retracted my system and closed my windows. The details flooded me, with words filling my vision.


    "Where are all the people?" I mumbled to myself, and reached the Academy''s gates.


    Upon entering the premises, a dark room addressed my eyes. But I wasn''t alone, since there was a mumbling noise echoing inside.


    When I stepped my foot in the darkened room, lights that looked like stars twinkled before me. When the luminance kindled the obsidian ce, figures of students and adults weed my eyes. All of the mages waved their wands and conjured sparks in the air, filling the darkest studio.


    And among those mages was my sister, Rain, practising her spell. I rushed towards her and gave Rain my warm embrace.