The King of Knights, the Leader of the Round Table. The ruler spoken of as England's "Once and Future King".
Artoria Pendragon.
Built from nothing but memories and the experiment of the Dao of Creation, she was given "life"... even if it was an ephemeral one.
Bam-!
Her plate armor resounded with her huge motion. The single thrust of her feet sent her straight in front of the robed man. Her heart, fueled by the Red Dragon's Core, gave her unmatched strength.
Boom-!
Sou-!
The Flame Reaver was blown away. Artoria's light green pupils stared at him with interest. That blow was supposed to cut off his arm, yet he was only sent away.
Crash-!
Craters formed on the neat marble floor. While he was down, his long sword vibrated before flying towards him.
Clang-!
Artoria met his blade the instant his fingertips touched its handle. Her momentum disrupted his posture—a sure-death moment.
She was about to claim his life when several mirror-like images appeared. Their blades overlapped into a cross, sending sparks flying.
Regaining his balance, a shorter blade appeared on the Flame Reaver's other hand. The short blade overlapped with the crescent handguard of the longsword.
Hum-!
Moments later, he was gone.
It was also at this moment did the guards react. Hurried footsteps headed towards the entrance of the Marmoreal Palace.
"Halt! Drop your weapon!"
Their first reaction towards Artoria was vigilance. They did not know what happened. They only saw her with a sword unsheathed.
Artoria looked at them silently. Her mind dictated her master's safety. She was aware of everything. There wasn't a Holy Grail War. Shi Tian, through the mix of Remembrance and Creation Dao, brought her to this world. He is the equivalent of a humanoid Throne of Heroes.
As such, it is fitting to treat him as her master.
She kept her eyes on the soldiers as she moved towards the unconscious Shi Tian. The soldiers were smart enough not to cause trouble. The rumbling they felt on the ground earlier showed how insane the fight was. Nobody wants to be a cannon fodder, more so when their supposed enemy is 'devoid' of any hostilities.
They saw Artoria kneel on empty ground. Their perception could not see a Memetic Entity like Shi Tian.
It wasn't until the shouts of "make way" did they break their file. Simultaneously, the recovered Hysilens walked towards Artoria.
"Stop. She is not an enemy."
""Yes!""
One word from the Dux Gladiorum was all it took. The soldiers broke their ranks before returning to their posts. Only Aglaea remained.
"She is..?"
"...The Knight King."
"..?"
Hysilens looked at Shi Tian. His stable state calmed the waves in her heart. She shot a glance at the traces of the battle earlier. It lasted less than a minute, yet its danger surpassed all of the wars she participated in.
If it wasn't for Artoria's sudden appearance, Shi Tian would have kicked the bucket five seconds into the fight.
Hysilens briefly narrated what happened to Aglaea. Her green pupils widened in shock. Hysilens was the strongest warrior she had seen. To beat her in one blow is one thing; for this "Knight King" to defeat that man in less than five blows is another.
Sou-!
A small 'battleship' descended from the sky.
"Lenny! What happened? We heard the commotion down here…"
"We heard things go boom! Where's the enemy?"
Tribbie's worried voice contrasted Trianne's lively tone. The two came from the same person, split a thousand times. Their personalities have differed since then. One thing was the same, however.
They are smart.
They inferred the battle had long ended. They asked for the enemy's location to prevent further damage.
"There is no need to chase him, Lady Tribbie, Lady Trianne."
Hysilens explained what happened. The two 'kids' stared curiously at Shi Tian, and then the kneeling Artoria.
"Is she a Chrysos Heir?" Tribbie asked.
"Most likely not."
Hysilens' response fueled Trianne's curiosity.
Just then, the Imperator arrived. The sturdy general, Fortunado, was at her side.
"Dux Gladiorum. Report what happened…"
As soon as her gaze landed on Artoria, her words were forcibly halted. Shi Tian's storytelling crept to her mind. That braided golden hair, the strict and imposing temperament, and the familiar blue gown were all too familiar to Cerydra.
The latter, sensing her gaze, stood up. The Excalibur in her hand dissipated into golden motes. She came face to face with the King of this world. A thin smile broke in her lips.
"Pardon my reaction. Seeing you reminded me of my younger self."
"...Are you the King of Camelot?"
"That, I am."
Nobody said a word. The imposing auras of the two merged, forming a place solely for their discussion—a Kings' discussion.
"The Merlin of this world… Avalon's power is enough for his full recovery." Her glance swept at Shi Tian before continuing, "I must warn you of the enemy from earlier. His body did not say anything, but it is in a decaying state. He holds a power unmatched by anyone in this world. The day he uses it to its fullest will be a catastrophic one."
Artoria's warnings carved a deep frown on Cerydra. She had just conquered Amphoreus. There were the Black Tides causing destruction one after another. The Flame Reaver's appearance added to her worries.
"That man could not use his power in his normal state. He can still be repelled."
"Why did he choose to attack now?"
Cerydra asked the most crucial question.
"You must ask Merlin about that."
"...I understand."
Silence lasted for a short while.
"I can see you still have lingering questions. Go ahead and ask them."
Artoria saw Cerydra's remaining questions hidden in her gaze, thus she persuaded her.
"At the end of it all, what did you think?"
Not expecting her question, Artoria fell silent in thought.
She has the full memories of the 'Artoria Pendragon' of 'Camelot', the very same Artoria who came to regret Camelot's fall. Her added memories, however, include England's state after Camelot's fall.
One thing was evident:
Camelot inspired future empires.
"Our story is not devoid of tragedy. It did not end on good terms. Historians have a lot to say about my mistakes." She paused as emotions swirled inside her chest. "Merlin… My Merlin spoke of it from the beginning. Becoming a King is to no longer become a human. It remains true even now."
Cerydra was someone who was willing to be forgotten rather than to be defined. She exists on the exact opposite spectrum as Artoria, someone who was remembered throughout humanity's long-lived history.
Artoria saw through all of this and arrived at an answer.
"We may tread the same paths. Commit the same sacrifices. Regret the same mistakes. But I am not you, nor you are I. Perhaps… "
Her voice started to grow fainter. The time for her departure grew near.
In the end—
Your disposition will lead you to a different ending than mine.
—Artoria's words drifted along the gusts of wind.
*****
A/N: Bonus chapter (1/2)