Chapter 173: Castle Le Fey

"Here goes nothing." 

Sigh

"F*ck~" Ricky exhaled sharply, rubbing his forehead as an uneasy silence settled over the room. Everyone exchanged glances, sensing something off.

It was strange, after everything that had led to this moment, Ricky had just stopped, as if something had short-circuited inside him.

"What?!" Morgana blurted out, her chest tightening with suspicion. For a split second, she feared the impossible—that Ricky had somehow grown a conscience.

"I can't believe I went through all that sh*t just to cap it off with something cheesy like 'Here goes nothing,'" Ricky muttered, shaking his head.

A collective groan filled the air as everyone rolled their eyes while Morgana, however, didn't react right away. 

Her expression stiffened, her gaze slowly drifting downward from the terrace, the weight of something unspoken settling over her.

"Are you serious?" Morgana deadpanned, gazing down at Ricky with a long, drawn out stare.

"Uh yeah, I mean, I say cheesy stuff like that all the time, but that's on purpose, so it's fine. But this time, I actually said it without thinking, and I just feel so-" Ricky clutched his shoulder, shuddering as if physically recoiling from the realization. 

"I feel so corny-"

"RICKY!" Morgana screamed, grabbing at her hair in frustration as Ricky blinked up at her, unbothered.

"What-oh, right. Freeing you from prison." Ricky remembered, raising his sword as Morgana let out a long, exhausted sigh.

"Nope, it's ruined," Ricky admitted, deflating, since there was no way to reclaim the moment, no way to make it special again as he had completely botched it.

"Please, just destroy the barrier~" Morgana whined, sinking to her knees since at this point, this moment felt more agonizing than the last hundred years.

"Anything to add, Alexander?" Ricky asked, glancing over his shoulder as the usually stoic gerbil looked just as deflated, lost in thought rather than reacting to the scene before him.

"What about you, my little murder sword? Got anything to chime in for the big moment?" Ricky continued, now looking down at the weapon in his hand, as if deliberately dragging this out while at the side, Jenkins slowly shook his head.

'I simply find it ironic.' The Ebony Blade finally spoke, its tone heavy with resignation. 

'The very reason I was bound to Percival in the first place was to prevent the very act you are about to commit.' The sword's words carried a weight of centuries, its existence dedicated to stopping this exact moment, to act as Excalibur's shadow.

And yet, fate had played its cruel joke, placing it in the hands of someone who not only bore Percival's likeness but was his own descendant.

"Are you pissed?" Ricky asked, tilting his head since it felt like the Ebony Blade should have had more of a reaction.

After all, this moment practically rendered its entire existence meaningless as the very purpose it was meant to fulfill was being undone, and yet, it remained eerily composed.

'No, if anything I-.........I feel relieved.' The Ebony Blade hesitated, its voice softer than Ricky had ever heard it. 

The words settled in Ricky's mind, their simplicity belying the depth they carried. 

There was no bitterness, no anger, only a quiet acceptance, as if the blade had finally made peace with itself.

For centuries, the Ebony Blade had been burdened with grievances, but two stood above all others. 

The first was its resentment toward its wielders, those who claimed it, used it, and inevitably fell to its curse. 

The second was its sworn duty to uphold justice, to halt Morgana's dark influence at all costs, to exist as the shadow cast by Excalibur's mighty light, and to serve as the tool to the Black Knight.

But before it was full of hate, before it became a weapon of burden, it had been something else, something beautiful. 

A creation forged from the starstone with a purpose, with power that rivaled the gods themselves. 

But it is said that all are born equal before being set into the arms of their creator.

The Ebony Blade was once a perfect weapon, forged to be a beacon of light in a universe warped by evil. 

A sword capable of standing against forces beyond the comprehension of men, a tool designed to be an equal to the divine.

But that beauty had been tainted, twisted once it was set in the hands of the eclipsing darkness that was Merlyn's self-serving purpose. 

That purpose, one never truly its own, had been carved into the blade's very essence, tormenting it. 

It towered over the original meaning of the blade, burning it from within, yet for so long, it had carried that duty, unable to escape its predetermined fate.

That purpose, that duty, had consumed the blade and bound it in this endless cycle of hate and self-loathing, dragging it through countless years of torment and regret.

But now, at the end of it all, the blade was letting go.

For the first time since its creation, the Ebony Blade felt like the sword it had always been meant to be. 

The burden had been lifted and it was no longer weighed down by anger or the need to fulfill a purpose forced upon it.

For the first time, it could finally exhale. 

The suffocating weight of hate, anger, and resentment that had festered in the blade's core began to dissipate, replaced by a rare, almost tranquil calm.

For centuries, the Ebony Blade had been nothing more than a tool, a weapon in the hands of others, a prisoner to the will of its creators and its wielders. 

It had always been used, never truly free to exist as it was meant to be. 

But now, in Ricky's hands, it was finally being used in a way that honored its true nature.

Not simply to act as another half, but to stand alone and cut through all that stood in the way of its true meaning.

Ironically, it was still a tool, but Ricky felt the shift, the subtle lightness as if the blade itself was breathing, alive with newfound purpose. 

The chains, once visible in the cracks of its being, had dissolved, vanishing into the air as if they had never been. 

The red electricity that once surged around it now buzzed and crackled with a newfound intensity, but there was no longer any sense of struggle, no war within the blade itself.

It was at peace.

The air around Ricky grew still as the blade rose into the air, its form sleek and steady in the quiet. 

This time, instead of the usual crackling tension, the Ebony Blade hummed softly, a deep, soothing energy radiating from it.

For the first time, the blade was simply free.

It wasn't a sword driven by hatred anymore. 

It wasn't a weapon of vengeance or duty.

It was free.

Free to be the Ebony Blade.

A light updraft of wind swirled around Ricky as he swung the blade in a graceful, downward arc, the motion fluid and powerful.

Then, with a sudden, crackling surge, the air around them exploded into a storm of red electricity.

The barrier that had once chained Morgana to this desolate castle, a prison built only as a bastion against her darkness, shattered effortlessly before the Ebony Blade's power. 

It cut through it like butter, the once-impenetrable sealing barrier crumbling under the weight of the blade's final, liberated strike.

In that moment, the castle trembled, the space shook, and the sealing barrier that had once surrounded Morgana was finally destroyed.

The scene felt anti-climactic to those who had no true connection to the events unfolding, as Ricky remained remarkably nonchalant, almost indifferent, about the monumental moment. 

His hands were steady, his gaze unfocused, like a spectator rather than someone who had just shattered the chains of a centuries-old curse. 

But for Morgana, this was everything.

Slowly, with the grace of one who had lived far too long in confinement, Morgana reached her hand outwards, her fingers curling as if expecting resistance, as if the air itself would push back.

But nothing came. 

The space before her felt impossibly empty as her hand pierced through the air with no barrier, no pushback.

"Ha~" Morgana exhaled a soft, almost disbelieving laugh. 

Her body swayed slightly as the realization hit her, and she stumbled forward, her free hand clutching at her head as if to steady her mind against the dizzying freedom she'd just acquired.

The world was hers again, and it felt so surreal.

Unable to contain the surge of exhilaration and disbelief, Morgana hopped off the terrace with a swift, almost graceful movement, her cloak swirling behind her. 

She rushed forward, past Jenkins, past Ricky, past everyone who was too stunned to stop her.

Her destination was clear, the ruined land of Gorre awaited her return, and with it, an action long overdue.

WHOOSH

The air seemed to shift around them, a charged breeze moving as Morgana's hands crackled with dark green energy. 

Her magic spiraled outward in twisting tendrils, wrapping around her palms before she slammed it into the ground with immense force, sending a shockwave through the earth.

"Are you going to do anything?" Cedric asked, stepping forward with a sharp glint in his eye as his tone was one of expectation, as if the whole scene should have triggered something from the others.

 "As long as she doesn't attack me, I don't f*cking care what she does." Ricky, however, shrugged, his gaze unfazed and more worried when looking at Alexander quietly remaining on his shoulder.

With that, Morgana's magic surged, and the very soil beneath her began to stir. 

The salt, the sulfur, the toxic remnants of her cursed land, all of it bubbled up from deep within her domain. 

Before she expelled the air with her breath, forcing the foul miasma to roll like smoke into the atmosphere, filling the land around her with the stench of decay.

And then, amidst it all, her laughter broke free.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Morgana's voice echoed, filled with madness and relief, her hands gripping her hair as if to hold onto the reality of her newfound freedom. 

Her eyes, wild with exhilaration, revealed the depths of her release, the weight of centuries of imprisonment finally lifted from her soul.

She was free.

HIC

Morgana's laugh faltered as the first hiccup of grief broke through, but it didn't stop the floodgates from opening. 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Morgana's laughter turned into loud, ragged cries, her face tilted skyward, eyes wild and brimming with unshed tears. 

The sound echoed, raw and unrefined, reverberating through the air like the wail of a soul in torment.

For the first time in centuries, she could truly feel the weight of her release, but funny enough, it was not what she had imagined.

The pain howled in her voice, a mixture of sorrow, rage, and disbelief as she had lost everything.

Everything she had built, everything she had claimed as hers, was gone. 

The land that once thrived under her power, the people who followed her every command, all were lost to the ravages of time and battle.

Her people were dead, her land was dead, and all that remained were the undead, her only companions, slaves to her magic, soulless husks that never knew the warmth of life again.

It was a cruel existence, locked within the stone walls of a forsaken castle, forced to watch the days pass by as her once-great city crumbled around her. 

What should have been hers, her destiny, her reign, had been stripped away, piece by piece.

Thwarted at every turn, robbed of every chance at freedom, she had been mentally and spiritually destroyed, until she was nothing but a shadow of herself.

Now, standing in the open air, the freedom she had longed for felt more like a curse than a gift.

She was free, but what was left to claim? 

What could she do when all that was once hers had been reduced to ash?

There was only one answer, one place that still held any semblance of her past, of her power, Avalon. 

The cursed kingdom that once thrived under her rule, now reduced to a hollow memory of what it had been. 

Avalon, the land where her fate had been forged, the place where it all started, Camelot.

The very name of the capital stung her like a brand, a reminder of all she had lost, all she had sacrificed in the name of her ambition. 

Camelot, the city at the heart of Avalon, the city that had stood tall and proud, a symbol of power and glory, now only a shadow of its former self.

But it was still hers, she had the bloodline, the claim, the right to rule and no one could take that away from her. 

Even now, with everything in ruins, Camelot was still the heart of Avalon, and in her heart, she knew that if she could reclaim it, she could rebuild everything. 

Her kingdom, her people, her power, it could all be restored.

Morgana's eyes narrowed, her hands clenched into fists.

'I won't let everything I've fought for become meaningless with another failure.' Morgana declared, wiping the tears away as her relentless drive overtook her. 

'I will reach my throne, no matter what it takes.' Morgana vowed, her eyes reflecting the near future of her new path.

'No matter what I have to do.' Morgana swore solemnly, her voice steady with determination.

She turned back to Ricky, who was simply waiting, his expression unreadable, as she took a moment to collect herself.

Clap

"I didn't mean to burden you with such unpleasant actions." Morgana said, her regal form manifesting, dispelling the grief from moments ago as she slowly brought her hands together.

Clap

Clap

With two sharp claps, a storm of necrotic butlers and maids emerged from the depths of Castle Le Fey, filing out in two neat single-file lines as their presence was chilling yet impeccably ordered.

"We have a big campaign ahead of us, so let us relax and dine for tomorrow. Our march begins!" Morgana declared, gesturing to the necrotic servants, who silently began to serve.

It seemed that Morgana had a servant for every single witch and even every undead under Ricky's command. 

One such servant appeared before Boney and Chuck, bowing gracefully as they stood, ready for whatever came next.

"As my esteemed guests, you will be treated with the highest degree of respect and given your own personal attendant," Morgana announced, her voice smooth and confident. 

"Ask anything of them, and they will fetch it to the best of their ability." Morgana smiled warmly, her gaze sweeping over the necrotic army that would fight alongside her, a force that would soon make her claim to the throne unshakable.

The coven exchanged uncertain glances, a flicker of unease passing between them as they couldn't shake the feeling of being useless, even now. 

Their time following Ricky had been spent on the sidelines, traveling to Lilith's castle, bickering about their identities, and watching as Ricky fought against Team Excalibur. 

They had done little more than stand by, and yet here they were, seemingly rewarded for their lackluster efforts.

Despite the grand spectacle unfolding, the coven's pride felt bruised, their sense of purpose unclear.

The coven members' eyes lingered on Ricky, a mix of doubt and frustration etched across their faces.

It was as if they were silently asking him if this whole situation was really all right but Ricky, noticing their gaze, wiped his face in confusion. 

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Ricky wondered aloud and yet, the coven continued to look at him, their eyes heavy with unspoken questions.

"What?" Ricky repeated, growing slightly uncomfortable under their scrutiny as the coven quickly ducked their heads, but Eldric stepped forward, his expression somber.

"We feel worthless," Eldric said quietly, the words laced with frustration. 

"Like we're just tagging along rather than avenging our ancestors, our loved ones-"

"So?" Ricky said, not even hesitating when cutting him off as his voice was blunt and unapologetic, forcing Eldric to pause, taken aback by the sudden interruption.

"If you feel some type of way about it, then stop feeling sorry for yourself and do something about it." Ricky continued, raising his gaze, looking at him with a frown as if it was obvious. 

The words hung in the air, as if Ricky had thrown a challenge at them since it wasn't his responsibility to be their therapist or to comfort them. 

They had a role to play, and he expected them to step up. 

They were here to follow him, but it was up to them to make their own path along the way.

Eldric stood in silence for a moment, brooding as Ricky's words settled in his mind. 

Finally, he looked at the necrotic butler assigned to him, a spark of determination flickering in his eyes.

"Maybe I will." Eldric muttered, gesturing for the necrotic butler to move forward. 

Without another word, he followed it into the notorious Castle Le Fey, his steps heavier but with a new sense of resolve.

As the last of the coven members filed into the castle behind their undead servants, the atmosphere shifted. 

Ricky watched as the group moved, his own servants trailing quietly behind him as the core group remained, standing outside the looming walls of Castle Le Fey.

The last to leave was Cedric, he lingered for a moment at the entrance, his eyes scanning over the group. 

There was something in his gaze, an unspoken hesitation. 

He looked back at Ricky, but without saying a word, he turned and walked into the castle, leaving the others behind.

Now, only Ricky, Morgana, Jenkins, Asterion, Alexander, and Bucephalus stood outside, all sort of wondering what to do next.

"So, the chalice." Ricky said, sparking some much needed flavor into this stale atmosphere.

"Yes, the chalice." Morgana chuckled, clapping her hands together and gesturing towards Ricky.

"Allow me to personally show you the way," Morgana said, her voice soft, almost velvet her tone more a command than a request. 

She beckoned Ricky to follow her while turning towards the castle, his eyes instinctively traced downwards, drifting towards her plump ass, taking in the curve of her figure with an almost imperceptible glance.

"Jenkins, dear, would you be so kind as to show his companions around?" Morgana asked, her tone more direct than polite, as she strutted toward the castle as Ricky followed behind her, placing his hands behind his head and just shamelessly staring at her ass swaying with the swerve of her hips.

"I would be honored, your majesty," Jenkins replied smoothly, bowing deeply as he then turned toward the Minotaur, who was still marveling at the castle's intricate architecture, while Bucephalus cast a critical glare around the surroundings, clearly unimpressed by the structure in comparison to the grandeur of Alexander's.

"Camelot's not that far. Don't you just wanna, like, go out and punch some sh*t?" Ricky asked, genuinely curious as to why, after gaining her freedom, Morgana was heading back to her cage.

"Camelot is a day's ride, and that's excluding magical transportation," Morgana replied, her voice smooth, almost teasing. 

"Besides, I've waited hundreds of years for freedom. Waiting a mere day for my throne is nothing." Morgana side-eyed Ricky, a smirk playing on her lips as her heels clicked sharply on the floor.

"Alexander the Great wouldn't have waited a day for his throne, right, man?" Ricky said, glancing over his shoulder at Alexander, who stood silently, staring deeply into the distance. 

However, even though Ricky called out his monocure, something he never did, he didn't even get a smug response but rather, silence.

"Ah, yes." Alexander said, snapping out of his daze and forcing a smile as he stood up.

"I think I, too, want to roam around the castle, really take in its sights." Alexander said, quickly scurrying down Ricky's armor before hopping onto the ground.

"Are you sure? Ever since that valley, you've been a little off-"

"I'm fine." Alexander interrupted, but his voice lacked conviction, and his head turned to the side, a subtle shift that betrayed something deeper. 

Ricky, sensing the unease, tried to press further, but when he saw the tension in Alexander's posture, he stopped.

The sole reason being that whenever Ricky was at his lowest, during his most painful moments, Alexander never pried into his personal struggles and simply waited.

Now, it was Ricky's turn to extend that same kindness.

"Alright, man." Ricky nodded, watching as Alexander gave a subtle nod in return. 

The two walked forward through the halls, with Alexander tracing his paw against the hard surface, his steps echoing faintly in the silence of the castle while walking in the opposite direction.

"Merlyn always used to preach about Alexander's tales," Morgana suddenly said, her voice cutting through the silence as she walked alongside Ricky through the maze-like castle.

"He'd always bask in the glory of young Arthur's legacy, how he rose from the shadow of his father and became a king that outshines everyone around him." Morgana continued, her tone smooth, almost flattering as she glanced at Alexander. 

It was an attempt to earn Ricky's favor, but he merely looked to the side, his expression unreadable.

"Well, Alexander ain't just a king," Ricky muttered, his words catching Morgana slightly off-guard. From what she had heard, that was his greatest achievement.

"What more could Alexander the Great be than the king who inspired men to follow him toward conquest after conquest?" Morgana asked, her gaze narrowing as she looked at Ricky. 

He turned toward her with a frown, clearly not interested in just the simple narrative she had in mind.

"I won't sit here and give you some fairytale bullsh*t about how he's my friend and that's more than being a king," Ricky suddenly stopped, holding up his hand before looking down.

"But even if it's cheesy and even if you don't agree, people always tell me how great a king he was, but I never hear sh*t about how Alexander always did everything for those around him." Ricky said, his frown deepening as he shook his head, his tone carrying a mix of frustration and something more personal.

"A lot of people gave up on me, treated me like a lost cause, and for a long time, I f*cking believed it. But Alexander, man, he and my pops Lucky are people you only meet once in a goddamn lifetime." Ricky laughed, slicking his hand through his hair while turning hsi head towards the ceiling.

"I don't understand." Morgana's brow furrowed slightly as Ricky let out a long breath, looking away for a moment before meeting her eyes again. 

"What I'm trying to say is that they can look past all the sh*t in the ground and see the diamonds in people. I wanna be like that, not some king." Ricky's words were heavy, filled with a quiet conviction, a deeper longing for something more than titles or power.

Morgana was slightly taken aback by Ricky's words, watching him as he seemed to process the weight of what he'd just said as hhe was trying to articulate the feelings that had been swirling in his mind for so long.

"God, now that I think about it, maybe I'm trying too hard to be like Lucky in New York." Ricky muttered, a hint of frustration in his voice at the realization that dawned on him.

"Alexander always says, 'You can't be anyone other than yourself,' and I think-" Ricky paused, the pieces falling into place, and then he let out a soft laugh. 

"F*ck, I think I just realized what he meant."

As they arrived at the massive vault at the center of Castle Le Fey, Morgana flinched, her expression tightening as she turned her attention toward the vault, her mind suddenly shifting back to the task at hand.

"Anyways, let's just get this ebony family reunion over with, and not the good kind," Ricky sighed, his words causing the ebony artifacts to almost seem to flicker in the dim light, as if they didn't fully understand what he meant.

"Uh, yeah." Morgana replied, momentarily speechless. 

Ricky had this way of randomly spouting things that didn't always make sense to her and yet resonated deeply, but she'd learned not to question it as she lifted her hand, signaling that it was time to move forward.

Click

Click

Click

The vault slowly began to mechanize under Morgana's magic, each click echoing through the air like a never-ending series of gears turning. Ricky crossed his arms, leaning back slightly, waiting with a look of mild impatience.

"Aren't you guys a little excited to see your youngest sibling-"

"No."

The response came in unison, cold and almost mechanical as the Ebony Shield and Crown spoke for the first time since Ricky had pissed on them, an act that had left a literal and figurative rotten taste in their mouths.

It was clear they hadn't forgiven him, and they weren't exactly thrilled to be dealing with him again nor coming in contact with their sibling.

Morgana side-eyed this, watching Ricky talk to himself before hte vault to her castle's treasure slowly opened.

Artwork, jewels, gold, and silver, everything one could possibly imagine, was revealed before Ricky as the vault slowly opened, its contents practically spilling out. 

Yet, Ricky barely reacted as the overwhelming display of wealth no longer impressed him.

Alexander was right: wealth gravitates around the strong, whether material or spiritual. 

But for Ricky, all the gold and riches had started to feel like nothing more than an endless tide of excess. 

'I should steal some of this.'

Despite the abundance of wealth surrounding him, the temptation tugged at Ricky as he was still that greedy man, the one who once would've taken it all without hesitation. 

But now, he fought the urge, trying not to push Morgana aside and snatch everything away from her. 

"Is this it?" Ricky asked, holding up a red ruby chalice, its gold accents gleaming in the dim light. Morgana shook her head.

"No—"

"Got it." Ricky interrupted, a sly grin spreading across his face as he tapped the key tattoo on his arm. In an instant, the mark glowed and the space around him warped, materializing into a black portal that opened with an eerie hum. 

Without hesitation, he slipped the chalice into the void, a knowing look on his face as he closed the portal behind him.

Throwing the ruby chalice inside without a second thought, Morgana was a little shocked at how bluntly Ricky stole from her, not even bothering to hesitate or make a show of it.

"What about this?" Ricky asked, holding up an emerald chalice, its surface shimmering with a deep, almost unnatural glow. Morgana frowned, a hint of irritation creeping in.

"No, it's-"

"Geez, so many chalices," Ricky muttered, cutting her off as he casually tossed the emerald chalice into the storage space as Morgana's frown deepened, her gaze narrowing as she watched him.

"It's right here-"

"What about this one-"

"IT'S RIGHT HERE!" Morgana yelled, just as Ricky picked up a chalice covered in sapphires. He looked at the black chalice in her hand, then back at the one in his own.

"Oh, good," Ricky said, nodding to himself, clearly satisfied with his find. 

Without a second thought, he tossed the sapphire-encrusted chalice into his storage space, then turned and walked toward Morgana, who was now facing him.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Morgana asked, her tone genuine, though her stare remained deadpan as she observed him and Ricky paused, his eyes narrowing in thought before he finally nodded.

"Yeah, I think I am." Ricky replied, clearly satisfied with his answer as his hands gripped the ebony chalice, its surface coated in layers of dust. 

The chalice itself was completely black, with only the faintest red accents tracing four crosses, one on each side, pointing in different directions.

Despite its age and the dust that clung to it, Ricky couldn't help but be drawn to the water inside.

It looked impossibly clear, as pristine and untouched as anything he had ever seen as he stared into it, entranced by its flawless surface.

"So do I drink it or-"

"Yes."

'Yes."

Both Morgana and the ebony siblings frowned in unison as they watched Ricky bring the ebony chalice to his lips. His fingers tightened around it, as though instinctively drawn to the mysterious liquid within.

"F*ck it," Ricky muttered to himself, shaking off any remaining hesitation. Without another thought, he tipped the chalice and took a long gulp. 

As the liquid passed his lips, his eyes suddenly dilated, a shockwave of realization hitting him all at once.

Everything changed in an instant. 

Ricky's world exploded into a kaleidoscope of unimaginable depth, each layer unraveling into a tangled web of realities. 

The water from the chalice wasn't just a drink, it was a doorway and as it slid down his throat, it pulled him into a vast, swirling void, a plane of existence where time, space, and energy intertwined into a chaotic but perfectly orchestrated symphony.

He was no longer confined to his body, no longer bound by the limitations of the physical world.

His pupils, his vision expanded beyond what the eye could comprehend as everything, all events, all possibilities, all outcomes, played out before him. 

They were not just flashes or images, but lived experiences, shifting in real-time as if he were standing inside the very currents of time itself.

Screens, like fragments of broken glass, plastered before him as they flickered and moved with precision, highlighting the exact possibilities of what would happen. 

Future events unfolded like a film reel, each frame giving him a glimpse of a life yet to be lived. 

It wasn't just the present or the future, Ricky could feel parallel realities, parallel versions of himself, all playing out at once.

Then, the colors flooded his vision, vivid, searing shades that distorted his senses. 

Blues, reds, yellows, and blacks blurred together into a violent, overwhelming flow of energy. 

It was like a flood of emotion, memory, and future all crashing into his consciousness as he could feel the weight of every possibility, every choice, and every consequence pushing against him.

It was literally one second, but his mind felt completely burdened by the power unleashed on it as it all rushed into one cataclysmic response.

"Holy sh*t-"

THUMP

Ricky's face planted into the ground but instead of recoiling in shock, Morgana and the ebony siblings stood in the background, silently observing as if this was perfectly normal

"HIYA!" 

Inside Ricky's mental space, a new reflection of himself appeared, but this one was a bit different. 

With two large buck teeth and hair parted neatly at the sides, he waddled enthusiastically over to the other three.

Sigh

"Hey, youngest-"

"OH BOY, OH BOY, OH BOY, IS IT GOOD TO REUNITE MY SIBLINGS AGAIN!" The Ebony Chalice gleefully shouted, waddling toward them and pulling the others into a tight, exaggerated hug. 

The siblings' faces twisted in collective distaste, their frowns deepening, but they didn't push the youngest away. 

They had learned long ago that there was no stopping the chaotic energy that came with the Chalice's presence

The Ebony Blade wasn't joking when he said his youngest sibling was on the spectrum—it literally was.

The Ebony Chalice induced a power that allowed its user to gaze into the spectrum, into all the realities of the future, past, and present. 

It was as if the chalice granted access to the very fabric of existence, showing every thread of possibility woven into the timeline. 

The Chalice was not exactly a chalice as its form was as fluid as its power, able to become a gateway to everything, every possibility, every outcome.

But, as with all Ebony artifacts, the visions came with a cost as it didn't corrupt the mind or unleash hidden desires, but instead, they split its focus.

Usually, this shattered the minds of those who dared to gaze into the spectrum, for it housed billions upon trillions of possibilities, and that was merely the beginning. 

The chalice revealed not just a single future, but infinite versions of every moment, every choice.

The overwhelming weight of this knowledge splintered the user's perception, leaving them lost in a maze of endless possibilities, unable to grasp a solid reality.

"Fck, fck, fck, FCK, FCK, FCK!" 

Suddenly, a constant stream of curse words echoed through the air, a man's anguished voice crying out as he fell to his knees. Ricky's eyes darted around, trying to make sense of the chaotic vision unfolding before him.

"What the-" Ricky muttered, his breath shallow as the scene unraveled in front of him.

"I should've put more things in place, I SHOULD'VE F*CKING DONE MORE!" The man's voice roared, filled with grief and fury, as he stared down at the grave before him. 

His hands trembled, tracing the cold stone, but his eyes were glazed with regret, surrounded by scattered bottles of booze, a symbol of his futile attempts to numb the pain. 

The scene twisted around him as if reality itself was falling apart.

"What's up with this guy?" Ricky muttered, staring at the chaotic scene unfolding before him. His eyes widened when the man, drenched by the pouring rain, slowly lifted his gaze to the sky. Ricky froze.

It was him—but it wasn't.

The man before him looked completely ragged, eyes sunken, dark bags beneath them, and his aftershave only made the weariness of his face more pronounced. The same, but different.

"What the hell... what is going—" Ricky laughed, assuming this was some kind of flashback, a moment in his past, only for his gaze to fall on the gravestones surrounding him.

'Agatha Harkness.'

'Raven Darkholme.'

'Danielle Luciano.'

'Zatanna Luciano.'

'Johnny Luciano-

They just went on and one, the names blurred together, each one a reminder of lost connections, people who had left his life one way or another. 

And then, his hands froze, tracing down to the final gravestone.

'Tommy 'Lucky' Luciano.'

The name hit him like a freight train as his breath quickened, heart racing as it all came crashing down. 

"WHAT THE F*CK IS GOING ON!" Ricky screamed, his voice raw with frustration as he staggered back, clutching his head in an attempt to wake from what he thought was some twisted dream. 

But it felt too real, too damn real. 

This wasn't just some vision, it was him, but not him as the version of himself in front of him was a shattered reflection, torn apart by his failure.

The man, ragged and broken, slammed his head against the gravestone with a sickening thud.

"I should've expected it. I should've expected more f*cking rats, it wasn't just one, it was an entire goddamn infestation." This version of Ricky's words slurred with bitterness, and Ricky could feel the weight of the man's anguish as he slowly gazed up at the sky, hollow-eyed.

Ricky's heart pounded in his chest, his eyes shrinking as something shifted in the air, a warning creeping up his spine.

Then, that future version of himself turned toward him.

"Do more." The words were dripping with cynical amusement as if seeing this version of himself, and the man, Ricky, held the Ebony Blade to his heart. 

He didn't hesitate and with a sickening grunt, he drove the blade deep into his chest.

"Wait, STOP-" Ricky tried to shout, but before he could move, the man's hand reached out, fingers trembling as he collapsed to the ground.

GASP

HUFF

HUFF

HUFF

"Ricky?" 

The sound echoed in the stillness, and Ricky's head snapped toward it as his gaze shifted quickly, and he found himself staring at a surreal scene as day bled into night. 

He was lying on a couch, the flickering light of a green fire casting eerie shadows behind him. Morgana raised an eyebrow, watching him curiously.

"If you're worried, The Ebony Chalice usually incapacitates everyone the first time-"

"AYE, CHALICE!" Ricky yelled, standing up and looking around until he saw all the ebony artifacts neatly placed at the side.

'Well, hiya-"

"SHUT UP, WHAT WAS THAT!" Ricky interrupted the Ebony Chalice introduction, gripping both his hands around the handle and pressing down as if choking it.

"What was what-"

"WHY DID I SEE THAT? TELL ME!" Ricky demanded, his voice frantic and wild as his sudden outburst shocked Morgana, especially considering that when she had drunk from the chalice the first time, all it had given her was a splitting headache.

"Ricky, what is the matter?" Morgana asked, trying to calm him down. A single strand of his hair dangled in front of his face as his crazed eyes locked onto hers.

"This motherf*cker just showed me the gravestones of my family, ALL OF THEM!" Ricky yelled, shaking as the water spilled out.

"Calm down, Ricky. Just wait," Morgana cooed softly, closing her eyes as she reached out, connecting with her body double in New York.

But instead of witnessing an attack or some impending destruction, she saw Raven standing at the counter, wiping it off with a cloth as she paused, locking eyes with the doll.

"What is it?" Raven asked, her voice tinged with concern as she looked at the doll. Morgana's body double, which had been placed in Raven's house to operate freely, finally stirred to life.

"Is everything alright?" Morgana asked, her tone filled with anxiety. Raven furrowed her brow at the question, clearly taken aback.

"To my knowledge, it is," Raven replied, still staring at the doll with a hint of confusion. 

Raven then stepped forward, gently grabbing Danielle by the arm and pulling her back just as she was about to approach the silent, curious woman. 

Raven's eyes flickered back to the doll, trying to gauge what exactly was going on.

"I see." 

That is all she said before closing her eyes again and opening it to a completely paranoid Ricky who didn't care to even wait a second.

"What are you doing?" Morgana suddenly asked, her voice sharp as she watched Ricky begin to put on the ebony artifacts, his undead minions gathering outside at his command.

"I'm leaving," Ricky revealed, his words sending a shock through Morgana. She quickly stepped forward, attempting to stop him.

"You can't leave-" Morgana started, but Ricky cut her off with a scoff.

"Like hell I can't, watch me." Ricky said confidently, opening a portal with a wave of his hand.

Before he could step through, Morgana reacted quickly, creating her own portal directly over his.

The moment Ricky tried to enter his, he found himself walking right back into the same spot he had started from.

Ricky shot her a deadpan stare, his eyes boring into hers as he sliced through the portal with a swift motion. But before he could make any progress, Morgana crossed her arms and effortlessly sealed it back up.

"Really?" Ricky asked, his voice laced with disbelief as he studied this regal, unflinching queen who raised her gaze to meet his, her posture calm but unwavering. 

"If you think Merlyn will let it go-"

"I don't care-

"You should." Morgana replied, her tone cool and measured as she closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, Ricky could see the subtle shift in her expression, a frown tugging at her lips.

"He's a monster, someone who cares about only one thing, and that's even beyond me. But let me say this, he'll do anything, ANYTHING, to get his way." Morgana placed a hand over her heart, squeezing it tightly. 

"I'm not threatening you, but speaking from my own life experience when I say he killed everyone I ever knew and loved." Morgana revealed, gazing deeply into his green eyes as if trying to sway him away from this decision.

"You think I don't know that if he attacks me once, he'll attack me again?" Ricky said, watching as she opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off, silencing her with his stare.

"I know, I f*cking knows he will, and I know he's using me for some grand scheme, but I just saw a vision, or the future, or something of me, standing before the graves of my family, and then I just killed myself." Ricky said, pointing to the chalice, which started crying at his words.

'T-That's so sad~' the Ebony Chalice sniffled, tears streaming down his face as Ricky gave him a disgusted look.

"Can you shut the f*ck up?" Ricky asked the Ebony Chalice, gazing down at it like some sort of crazy person trying to tell the voices in their heads to stop speaking to them.

"I'm not running away, I'm going to go make sure-"

"You're here because Merlyn wants you here." Morgana suddenly said, gazing directly into his eyes as Ricky frowned.

"Camelot, Avalon, Otherworld are all controlled by Merlny and he sees everything, in fact, I bet he's watching from outside the castle right now." Morgana said, pointing out a window that actually, in fact, did have Merlyn watching in on them, squinting as if watching in scrupulous detail.

"I don't know why, but he wants you here. He wants you to attack Camelot, and if you deviate from that plan, he'll deviate from it as well." Morgana took a step closer, placing both her hands on his shoulders.

"He's been planning something for centuries, he has the resources to come after you, and I know it's frustrating, but the only way to beat him is at his own game." Morgana said with a deep tone, locking her gaze with his as Ricky clenched his fists.

"I can't stop you, I won't, but I'm speaking from experience when I say this is our only shot." Morgana's voice was firm, her eyes steady. 

Never, not once, had Merlyn ever sat idle like this, and it had to involve Ricky in some way, somehow.

Merlyn had come to Gorre after having enough of her, destroyed her entire army, sealed her away, and burned everything she ever knew, before salting the ground, rubbing it into the very soil. 

The memories of that defeat were burned into her mind, and she knew all too well how relentless he could be.

"He's a monster. He will never stop coming after you. It's safer to go after him," Morgana said, her words steady. Ricky's shoulder slowly relaxed as the weight of her words sank in. 

For all intents and purposes, she was right.

Merlyn had been luring him to Otherworld and Ricky now realized that Merlyn could've sent those super powered people to New York whenever he wanted, but he only chose to send them once Ricky reached London.

It was like he was luring him like some sort of mouse, placing cheese after cheese towards a trap.

What unsettled him more, though, was that Merlyn wasn't hindering him but empowering him which made it all the more annoying in his eyes.

"F*ck~" Ricky said, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose and sat back down.

"Fine, dammit-no, I gotta do something." Ricky suddenly muttered, his mind racing. Morgana bit her lip, watching him as he gave the order.

However instead of opening a portal to the outside, Ricky's command took a different turn. 

The undead army he had taken from New York was being returned, one by one. 

All except the named ones, the loyal ones he had kept close: Boney, Chuck, Corpse Colossus, and his new toy, the Dullahan.

"If you want me to continue prancing around in the palm of his hands, I want half your army." Ricky suddenly said, watching Morgana issue a sigh of relief.

"Of course-"

"To go to New York." Ricky finished his sentence, watching Morgana contort her expression in unease.

"Ricky, I understand-"

"I'm not asking you, Morgana. This is what it's going to take," Ricky's voice grew cold, his eyes burning with a deadly determination. 

Morgana gritted her teeth, her gaze hardening, and with a swift motion, she snapped her fingers.

Snap

"Fine," Morgana muttered under her breath, her tone laced with frustration. In an instant, her undead surged out from the castle gates. 

But these weren't the usual white skeletons and mundane zombies; these were darker, twisted versions. 

Their bones were completely blackened, a menacing aura radiating from them as they emerged, creatures of shadow and death, far more sinister than the usual fare.

Ricky suddenly flicked a device through the portal, the trigger that Chuck had given him as it suddenly plopped onto the countertop in front of Raven.

Raven raised an eyebrow for a moment before the realization hit her as she recognized what it was, the very thing that had irritated Agatha, much to her amusement. 

With a sly grin, she snatched it up and pocketed it.

But her amusement quickly turned into curiosity as her gaze shifted to the sudden sight of an army of undead marching into her backyard as she raised another eyebrow, puzzled.

It wasn't just her backyard, though. 

The same portal had appeared at every one of their houses, from Raven's to Irene's. 

Each of his women looked out to see skeletons surrounding their homes, an eerie and unexpected invasion that none of them had anticipated but weirdly enough, it was for their protection.

"Keep in contact with them. I want to know the second something happens-actually, I'll just ask you myself. And before you think about it, I can tell if you lie," Ricky said, his gaze finally softening as he rubbed his head, then flopped down onto the couch, letting out a deep sigh.

Sigh

Ricky heaved a sigh, trying to steady himself, but that image lingered, gnawing at the edges of his mind as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Care for a drink?" Morgana asked, stepping into his view with a knowing smile.

For all intents and purposes, Ricky loved sex.

It was a simple fact, reinforced by how willingly he conformed to the system that had granted him all this power.

But not once, not once, had his lust for pleasure ever outweighed his lust for power more than it did in this moment.

Gazing at Morgana, he saw the stunning woman who could make men weak with a glance but for what felt like the first time in his life, he didn't want her.

He wanted the power that came from her.

Ding

"Yeah, I think I'd like that," Ricky murmured, his fingers grazing her hand as Morgana raised an eyebrow, her smile deepening before she turned to pour them both a drink.

[Mission Received: Morgana Le Fay]

Difficulty: Medium

Character Sheet: SS

Description: Morgana is a regal queen, exuding confidence and authority, yet beneath her composure lies centuries of buried pain and betrayal. Her insecurities remain hidden under the weight of her crown, but in rare moments, a mischievous, almost childish side emerges, a fleeting reminder that beneath power and duty, she is still human. If managed to open up to that side of her, then it wouldn't be that hard to truly open her legs.

Objective: Pelvic thrust repeatedly into her breedable hips.

Reward: 750,000 IP

Main Mission:

Impregnante Once:

Rewards: 7 Legendary Gacha, 15 Epic Gacha, and 50 regular Gacha Or Morgana Le Fay Powers

Impregnate Twice:

Rewards: ?????????

Additional Missions:

Unveil Her Queenly Form With Your Cock(Incomplete):

Reward: Mythic Coupon

Make The Queen Beg For Your Cock(Incomplete):

Reward: 5 Legendary Coupons

Bonus Missions:

???????????????????

???????????????????

???????????????????

???????????????????

???????????????????

???????????????????

[Do you wish to accept?]

[Yes/No]

Ricky's eyes locked onto Morgana, but for what felt like the first time in his life, he saw only the mission, not the woman bending down before him.

'Yeah, accept.'

Author's Note: sorry for the last post, here ya go