Mordred Pendragon Is Dead

"MORDRED!"

Vanis channeled ardor into her legs and shot forward as the black roots engulfed Mordred, swallowing him like the gaping maw of an ancient and terrible monster.

Their eyes met, and Mordred smiled at her. "Ay, Vanis! You look really hot!"

Those were his last words before the roots enveloped him entirely, forming a twisted black cocoon.

Vanis released her aura, and the very air around her shook.

"Minerva! Now!" she yelled, her voice cracking under desperation.

Immediately, multiple green flashes surrounded Asphodel, followed by Kay's voice bellowing across the valley.

"ASPHODEL!" He blinked to Vanis's side, the rest of Unit 21 teleporting around the Abnormal, their weapons poised to strike.

Kay unleashed a precise strike at Asphodel without wasting a second while Vanis and the Lunatics directed powerful, ardor-laden attacks at the daemon.

Crimson lightning tore through the sky, powerful winds howled across the valley, and huge spikes of ice rushed toward Asphodel, accompanied by a raging stream of water and silver flames as the Lunatics unleashed their powers upon Asphodel.

Blood appendages tipped with crystallized blood shot forward, locking onto the daemon, followed by swords of blood and light as Vanis stepped forward, her white blade glowing with Lux.

Time seemed to slow as the attacks converged, closing in on Asphodel from every direction.

But then, Asphodel's disgusting grin widened, and its voice echoed in their ears.

"I will enjoy your company later, humans."

A powerful pulse of black energy exploded out of Asphodel, blasting everyone away.

Everyone except Kay.

"You're not going anywhere!" he roared, executing a powerful upward slash.

The attack connected, severing Asphodel's arm, and sending it flying through the air. 

But as Kay moved to follow up with another attack, a thick wall of black roots erupted from the ground, blocking his path.

Cursing, he slashed the roots into ribbons, only to see Asphodel transform into a mass of writhing roots, enveloping the cocoon that trapped Mordred.

In a blink, Kay was behind Asphodel, sword ready to strike, but another thick root intercepted his blade.

"Let's dance later, Kay," Asphodel's distorted voice taunted as the daemon, now a mass of roots resembling an octopus, flew into the Tear, disappearing into its endlessly swirling darkness.

A stunned silence fell over the valley, shattered by Kay's enraged scream.

"DAMN IT!" He slammed his sword into the ground, plunging the blade into the mountain rock and releasing a shockwave that shook the valley floor.

Vanis gritted her teeth and shielded her eyes with her forearm as she lay on the bloodied ground.

"Fuck!" she spat, pushing herself up with trembling hands.

A surge of ardor suddenly filled the air, and a fierce wind whipped her hair.

Instinctively, she formed a blood appendage and shot it forward.

Just in time.

"Vanis! Let me go!" Artemis screamed as the tendril wrapped around her ankle, slamming her into the ground.

"I will not. Don't even think about it!" Vanis's voice was cold, but it wavered as Artemis struggled fiercely.

Artemis's golden eyes were filled with shock and desperation as she pointed frantically at the swirling darkness of the Tear. "The Captain's in there! We have to save him!"

"Artemis, no one comes back from the Tear," Vanis' voice cracked as she forced out the words. "Mordred is gone!"

"But—"

"Enough, Artemis." Kay's words were quiet, but everyone heard them.

He turned to Artemis, who lay on the ground, tears streaming from her golden eyes as she gritted her teeth in frustration and anguish.

"Mordred did everything he could to ensure you and Apollo stayed alive in the Shield. Are you trying to throw away his efforts by killing yourself?" he asked gently.

"But Commander! The Captain is still alive! Asphodel didn't kill him! It captured him and entered the Tear!" Artemis argued desperately, her voice cracking.

"Then he's gone," Kay said, his face unreadable. "No one who enters the Tear ever comes back, Artemis. Not alive."

"But Commander!" the young Fray choked. "He was supposed to be free next week! He was supposed to meet Iris!"

"Artemis," the Commander's voice softened as he gently placed a hand on her head. "It's over. Mordred would whack you if you entered the Tear and killed yourself."

"Arty," Apollo approached Artemis and wrapped his arms around her. "If you jump, I'll follow, but I don't want us to die yet."

The usual quirky energy in his voice was gone, replaced by a somber tone masked by shock.

Artemis sank into his embrace, tears streaming down her face.

Vanis watched them, a cold pit of emptiness forming inside her. The sight of their embrace clawed at her heart.

The Fray twins had lost everything early in their lives. Their brother Damien was all they had. 

When he died, Mordred and Iris took them in. They were closer to the twins than the others in Unit 21. 

When Iris left, they were sad because she no longer remembers them.

But they were glad to see her free from her horrific past, from the horrors of being a Deathwalker.

They were glad to see her becoming more than just an instrument of death and destruction. 

It was like saying goodbye to an older sister going up in the world. 

They will be apart, of course, but they will be able to meet her in the future.

But this… this was different.

Vanis looked over at the rest of the Lunatics.

Ava stood frozen, her gray eyes locked on the Tear, desperately searching for any sign of Mordred returning from the swirling vortex of darkness.

"You better not die, you maniac," she muttered, her voice trembling. "I refuse to accept it!"

"No way he's gone," Krystal murmured, her face a mix of shock and disbelief. She turned to Carlo. "Right?"

Carlo Devereux clenched his fist, avoiding her gaze.

He didn't say anything, but his silence was loud enough to speak of the tragedy that had befallen them.

Snow began to fall, twirling and dancing in the air as the cold wind played with them, unaware of the cruel fate that had taken over Mordred.

"I've lost all contact with Mordred's bracelet. All of his physical signs are gone." Minerva's timid voice broke through the silence, nailing in the undeniable truth.

Mordred Pendragon was gone.

"Now what?" Vanis asked as Kay walked past her, not bothering to retrieve his sword stuck in the ground.

His fist clenched, and the surrounding air trembled with the aura he released in frustration.

"We keep lookouts if he's still alive and comes out," he said in a hollow voice.

Vanis gave a rueful smile. "There's no chance of that. Assuming he escapes or kills Asphodel, we have no idea what's in the Abyss. His chances of survival are pitifully low."

"But there is still a chance," Kay pressed.

"That's false hope, Commander," Vanis said in a defeated tone. "Even Alexander Zierhart, one of the most powerful Paladins in history, entered the Tear and never returned."

"There's no way Mordred could survive in his current state."

Kay quietly listened to her words, his face still unreadable. "We'll keep lookouts," he repeated.

"If he returns, we'll know. Until then, he's dead," he declared.

"I must inform the Royal Family of this."

He covered his face with his scarred and calloused hands and sighed deeply.

"What am I going to say to Guinevere?" he muttered, his voice breaking.

He looked up at the sky, snowflakes gently falling on his face.

"Morgause. I'm sorry."

*******

[Location: The Royal Palace, Camelot]

"Merlin. Stop gouging your eyes out. You're getting blood all over the couch."

Arthur said with a resigned sigh, directing his words to the seemingly empty couch that was suddenly covered in blood.

The air above the now bloodstained fabric shimmered, and two orbs plopped onto the ground with a sickening squelch.

They were eyeballs with kaleidoscopic irises that shifted colors even as they rolled on the floor, leaving smears of blood before turning to ashes.

The air shimmered more, revealing Merlin's form, blood streaking her face like tears, though her eyes were now back in their sockets.

"Incarni! That felt good for a few seconds!" Merlin exclaimed with a sigh of relief before she gave Arthur a crooked smile. "Sorry about that."

The High King narrowed his eyes. "The Royal Palace is a no teleport zone."

"I sneaked in through the window before you arrived," Merlin replied nonchalantly. "You have a habit of keeping them open."

"But you knew I was here and didn't mind my presence. So I quietly lounged on your couch," she added.

"That was until you decided to scoop out your eyes and ruin my couch," Arthur said, his tone carrying a hint of irritation.

He gave her a cold gaze. "Why are you here?"

Merlin's smile faded. "I've heard the news. My condolences. Mordred was a fierce kid."

Arthur continued reviewing the documents carefully stacked on his desk.

"You have quickly accepted his demise," he remarked in a cold voice as he cross-referenced with his holographic screen.

Merlin tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she watched him. "No one has returned after entering the Tear, dead or alive. It is a death sentence."

Arthur shifted his gaze to the warlock relaxing on his couch.

Although immortal, Merlin is capable of changing her appearance, but she prefers to remain in her original form.

He had noticed that in the last four years, Merlin had decided to undergo some changes.

Currently, her white and pink hair is longer with blue highlights near her neck. She is taller than before and her slender figure is more mature.

The only features of hers that remained unchanged were her eyes. The colors of her eyes shifted like a kaleidoscope as they shimmered like stars.

"I presume you are pleased?" he asked. "After all, you won the bet."

Merlin's eyebrows shot up. "Actually, I lost the bet. The wager was for him to survive three years as a Deathwalker."

"And he did survive for three years," she frowned, more to herself than to Arthur. "I didn't expect him to stay for a girl."

Merlin narrowed her eyes. "And not just any girl. He fell for Iris Karsus, the unfortunate child of that douchebag Adrian."

"That guy is seriously crazy, and his child was crazier," she added.

Arthur frowned. "Careful Merlin. Guinevere adores that child."

Merlin's smile was thin. "Speaking of Guinevere, I could feel her murderous aura approaching us."

As soon as she said that, a powerful aura shook the air and the surroundings of Arthur's office. The atmosphere grew dense with ardor, and the temperature seemed to drop.

"I guess that is my cue to hide," she said before shimmering out of sight.

The doors to the office flew open and Guinevere stormed in, her eyes blazing with cold rage. 

"Are you happy?" Guinevere's voice was venomous, frigid as ice, each word laced with a fury that made the air crackle with energy.

The objects in the room began to float as the ardor density shifted, and cracks began to form on the stone walls and glass windows. 

Tears streaked her beautiful face and her sapphire blue eyes glowed with an expression that Arthur had never wished to see.

Hatred.

Arthur met her gaze, his expression impassive. "Vere, he's fallen into the Tear. That doesn't mean he is dead." 

"Then why isn't there an operation to rescue him? He's your son!" Guinevere growled, her voice breaking slightly.

Arthur's silence was more damning than any words he could have spoken.

"I just don't get it," Guinevere shook her head lightly, her voice trembling. "What has that child ever done to you for him to suffer such a wretched fate?"

"Was it because of Merlin's stupid prophecy? Or because of Morg's death? Or was it because he was weak?" 

Her voice rose, laden with ardor, shaking the room. "What was it? TELL ME!"

Arthur held her furious gaze with his cold eyes. "You will not understand, Vere."

The shaking stopped, and the ardor density returned. Guinevere looked at Arthur with eyes full of disappointment and grief, her shoulders slumping from their weight.

"I thought I finally understood you, Arthur," she whispered, her voice filled with pain. "But it turns out it was just my delusion."

She turned away from him. "You don't have to appear for the funeral. I'll send him off myself."

Arthur closed his eyes. "Very well. If that is what you wish."

Guinevere's eyes fell on the couch, her gaze hardening. "This is your fault, Merlin. You'd better remember that for the rest of your cursed life."

"Do not even show your face at the funeral," she snarled.

"The next time I see you, I will gouge your accursed eyes out and replace them with burning stakes."

With that chilling warning, she turned to leave, but not before casting one last, scornful look at Arthur.

"You not only failed as a father to Mordred, but you failed Morgause as well."

She walked away, slamming the doors shut behind her, the sound echoing through the now-silent room.

A suffocating silence filled the atmosphere in the room before Arthur broke it.

"You should not appear before Guinevere in the future, Merlin," he said as the air above the couch shimmered and Merlin reappeared.

"Yeah. I should not," she grimaced. "Guinevere was not bluffing. She would really do that."

She shrugged, giving him a hollow smile. "But it's fine. I'm used to being hated by everyone."

"That is depressing," Arthur remarked with a frown.

Merlin waved off the comment, immediately changing the subject. "What about the children?"

Arthur shifted his focus to the storm clouds gathering outside the window, his expression unreadable.

"Morgan is in shock. She refuses to believe that he is gone," he replied, recalling her devastated look when he told her the devastating news.

Merlin wriggled on the couch until she was lying upside down on it. "She must be feeling an awful lot of guilt and regret."

She let out a strained chuckle. "It's funny. She didn't acknowledge his presence just so that she would not have to undergo that kind of grief and anguish."

"She is human, Merlin. He was still her brother. Perhaps the anguish and guilt she is feeling is her punishment," Arthur replied.

Merlin's eyes shimmered as she stared at him. "And what about you? You pretty much ignored his very existence. What about your punishment?"

Arthur's expression hardened as he turned to her. "I'm already a damned man, Merlin. You, of all people, know that."

"You're right." Merlin's eyes dimmed as she spoke. "After all, both of us are irredeemable."

"What about Elaine?" she continued.

Arthur's eyes drifted to his smartphone on the desk. "She gave me a phone call. Asked if it was true. When I confirmed it, she just said 'oh' and hung up."

Merlin raised her eyebrows. "Well. That is an improvement. She rarely comes out of her room nowadays."

Arthur sighed. "Just make sure she doesn't get herself killed when she joins Avalon next year."

"Gawain must be having it the hardest, though," Merlin pointed out, her voice quieter. 

The High King's gaze softened. "He's currently destroying the training court of the palace. I believe Guinevere is going there as we speak."

"And Trinity is inconsolable," he added, a rare heaviness in his voice.

"Ah, little Trinity. She was looking forward to seeing Mordred," Merlin remarked, shaking her head. "What a tragedy."

She then turned to him. "But you're the only one who has not accepted his death."

Arthur's cold eyes met hers, and Merlin felt a chill run down her spine as he spoke.

"That's because he is not dead."

Merlin frowned, a sense of unease creeping into her. "Why do you sound so sure?"

Arthur Pendragon's eyes glowed as he spoke the next words.

"That's because I know."

*******

Location: Winchester Manor, Blackrose Island

"Miss Iris?"

The maid knocked gently on the office door, the sound resonating more sharply than intended as her prosthetic arm made contact with the wood.

"Yeah? Get in," a refined voice spoke from behind the closed door.

The maid opened the door and found Iris Lefay relaxing on the couch, reading a report in her right hand while flicking a combat knife with her other. 

She was dressed casually in a sleeveless t-shirt and sweatpants, the many scars on her arms almost glowing under the light of the setting sun, and her long black hair was tied in a ponytail, the blue ends of her hair glowing faintly.

Her bright blue eyes switched from the report to the maid, who felt a chill down her spine under her gaze.

Iris smiled. "How many times I should tell you not to call me that, Aunt Adeline? I am your niece. You don't have to be so formal."

Adeline smiled softly. "You are the master of this place, and I am your employee before I am your aunt."

Iris sighed. "Looks like there is no changing your mind."

She looked at Adeline more closely, noticing an unusual change in her expression. "So, what is it?"

Adeline's smile faded. "There is news from the Royal Palace."

"What is it?" Iris asked, a bad feeling crawling into her.

Adeline took a breath before answering.

"High Prince Mordred Pendragon is dead." 

"What?" Iris froze, staring at the maid, her blue eyes wide with shock. "He is... dead?"

Her aunt nodded solemnly. "He fell into the Tear during battle."

"Ah," the shock in her eyes was replaced with a deep sadness. 

Iris had learned about the Tear during the time she tried to figure out her lost memories.

So far, she had only recovered her combat prowess, which terrified even her, but her memories still remained out of reach, as if it was locked away somewhere deep in her mind.

But certain things resonated within Iris, especially when she heard the name Mordred Pendragon. 

Her heart would skip a beat, and she would feel a sense of longing, a pull she couldn't explain.

This happens every time she learns about him or when the High Queen Guinevere talks about him.

The High Queen...

She looked up at Adeline. "How is Her Majesty faring?"

The maid's eyes were filled with sadness as she spoke. "Her Majesty is quite distraught."

"I see…" Iris looked down.

The High Queen loved Mordred as much as she loved her own children, perhaps even more.

Iris couldn't begin to understand the pain Guinevere must be going through now.

Yet, what was this pain she was feeling inside of her? This gaping void of sorrow forming in her chest? 

It was as if her very soul was crying out in grief for the death of Mordred Pendragon.

She placed a hand over her heart; the ache intensifying.

What is happening?

"Adeline," she said, looking up at her aunt again. "Inform the High Queen that I wish to attend the funeral."

Adeline looked surprised, but she nodded. "Very well. I will inform her immediately."

Suddenly, she gasped and placed a hand over her mouth. Iris noticed this and frowned.

"What is it?" she asked before she felt something wet on her face.

"Iris… your face!" Adeline said in a trembling voice.

Iris placed a hand on her face and gave her aunt a bewildered look.

"Adeline. Why am I crying?"