15 Mordred

Mordred POV

Mordred walked from the Armory, in her face a smile from the fun she experimented in those few minutes. She saw the War Games that Napoleon and Billy the Kid were having with Karl and Semiramis.

The 4 divided themselves in teams; each team will have a fortress (Hanging gardens of Babylon and Charles Patricius), one general and a lot of wraiths as their army. Napoleon and Billy were the generals and Semiramis together with Karl were the Commanders.

Their games were so fun because Grial helped them use a lot of phantasmal beasts as subjects. The rules were simple: 1 You need to take the general enemy down. 2 The fortress can only use 3 volleys of fire to take the enemies down. 3 The generals needs to always be with the army they can't hole themselves in the fortresses. 4 if by any change you could breach the gates of the enemy fortress before taking the general down you win. 5 If you take down the general you obtain the territories that the he/she was guarding. 6 You have a limited amount of supplies so the purpose of the game is take control of the different territories that the enemy have to ressuplie your forces.

The game was very interesting that in a moment every hero wanted to participate. Imagine this every Hero that existed or will exist choosing two bands (Red or Black) launching their most powerful attacks and Noble Phantasms to each other. In one of the games Gilgamesh summoned his palace and together with other heroes they created the yellow team. In all my life, I never saw a scene so beautiful. There was of everything, schemes, betrayal, cross, doble-cross, secret alliances, etc. that was almost like the perfect battle. In the end the more than one hundred thousand heroes, formed 5 "Countries" their leaders were: Alexander, Altera, Semiramis, Karl and Gilgamesh.

Mordred remembered that her "Father" didn't take part in the war as a King; apparently she can forget her past yet. But she was starting to approach the other Knights of the Round Table and ask forgiveness because she didn't do her work as a king. But although she doesn't take part as a King, she and the rest of us (Knights of the Round Table + Lucius) formed a mercenary band that worked with whatever party pays more.

It was beautiful when she led the mercenary band to cause havoc to their enemies. That's when we discovered that Lucius was a businessman in his past life and a really good one; he alone put the war a price and started to influence the market behind the scenes. The supply lines, armors, weapons, food, etc. he controlled everything from the dark. When the rest of the countries saw how he alone influenced the war in a way that they were dancing in his hands without noticing it was too late.

He alone amassed a lot of money, treasures even heroes were swayed to the mercenary band thanks to his words.

Mephistopheles even praised Lucius because what he did was almost what all the demons do but they don't succeed much. But him a Human and a one that was only a normal one a few years before made a job so well done that you believe that he was the real Demon. Martha and Jean dragged Lucius for a little "talk" after a war game that they lost because according to them, Lucius was only a lost lamb and needed to return to the right path. But when they returned what we saw was something so incredible that we thought that our eyes went blind.

We thought that Lucius will have bruises or a few broken ribs but no! We saw the two Holy Maidens crying and begging God to forgive them because they were tainted. In their story the words of Lucius were so logical and explicit that the more they heard him the more their morals and beliefs were crumbling. We saw Lucius as a monster because of what he did, Hell! Even Goetia and Mephistopheles were prostrating at his feet and asking to be his disciples.

That was unexpected; we thought that Lucius a simple human didn't have the requirements to be here. But in that moment he passed to be a simple Human to a frightening Monster that controls everything from the shadows. It appears that the business world is a place way more cruel and savage that we originally thought. The only one that was always on guard against Lucius was EMIYA, because he was from the future; he saw and experience how cunning and despicable the "merchants" were in there. According to his words although the merchants didn't have territory or things like that, they with their money could influence entire countries to war other countries and they will be in a deserted island in the Caribbean drinking whiskey after doing all that! Even were ones that used the war to amass a fortune.

Lucius was nonchalantly munching a piece of bread like it was nothing much when EMIYA was telling us that. In the end we couldn't take it anymore and apprehended him and make him spill the beans about his past life.

Turns out to be that he was a black arms dealer! He used his assets that were legit to smuggle weapons and medicines to territories that were in dispute at that time disguissed as Humanitary help. But he told us that although he has blood in his hands he never smuggled people or drugs!

According to him, that was low very low, he was opposed to use other humans as assets that can be traded and drugs were something that he detested from the bottom of his heart because his country was plagued with that filth.

After that, Lucius was recognized by the other kings as a real treat. He was banished from the game in the end because no matter how much the kings tried to control the market he alone contended with the five countries and in each one he was the only winner. In some cases they tried to lure him to their side and thought that he will do their bidding only to realize that no matter what they do, he was the sole winner. In the end they were killed by him because their ineptitude to see the big picture. He even put my father in the throne of one of the kingdoms that it fell in the war games because he didn't want to be the King. With his help (As a Prime Minister – A very black one-) My Father for the first time tasted the sweet nectar of leave everything in the hands of another person and relax and only use her strength when it was needed. As I remember, he told us something when he was banished from the game.

In his words "You never expected that in the future the humans developed a very interesting way to see the war as "a business" right?; you all are with the idea that territories equals to power, look at me! I don't own a single piece of land and I dictate who win the war games from a desk!" His words were a hard blow to the egos of the heroes and kings; he never used more power or resources when it wasn't needed, he maximized his profits in each battle and transaction, when he need muscle he only talked to a few heroes about how the other kings were oppressing the people and that was all that he needed to do to make the heroes do his bidding. We thought that Father was the leader, but in reality she was only a puppet. A Hero became a puppet without knowing and was doing the biddings of a "weak merchant".

Grial was the first to see the end of every war game because she studied the knowledge that Lucius talked and reached the same conclusion that he did. In the end he passed from a "Weak Merchant" to a "Puppeteer" that controls the world from the shadows utilizing the psychology of every one of the heroes because he always knew what words to use.

Maybe that was the reason that the Holy maidens tried in every occasion to bring Lucius to the light and his only answer was "Don't want to, that place is really boring". I heard latter that they will be their summons because they needed to bring him back from the dark side. Something that Lucius stated that it doesn't exist because life neither is black or white.

When I was immersed in my thoughts I saw Lucius enter the gates covered in blood from head to toe. The vicious expression in his face makes my heart to stop for a second. I knew that Lucius is more black hearted that he appears to be, everything that he does has a meaning. That's why I never express discomfort when he decided to take those three with us. Although I don't know what is the Sky Poison Pearl, it appears to be an amazing treasure after all it has the words Heavenly Treasure.

I took a towel from inside my armor and give it to him. At first he was surprised but latter he started to wipe the blood in his face with the towel.

We didn't say anything and only stay there seeing each other to the eye. After that the two of us nodded and decided to return to the mansion. When we entered Yun Gu was in the entrance waiting for us and asked.

"How that went?" (Yun Gu)

"Don't worry old man the matter is settled and in two days we will beging our journey to the Illusion Demon Realm. Meantime you can use the first floor of the mansion, me and my companions chambers are in the third floor, so I will only saw you when it was needed; after all I am little exhausted from the fight" (Lucius)

The thing about Lucius is that is very hard to tell truth from lies when he speaks. I asked him about that, and he responded me <that for a lie to be truth you need to put a little bit of truth in what you are saying. That makes the lie more "True", because even if the other party suspects something and looked in the matter, he will only saw the truth that we told him and became susceptible to other things that we say. But you don't need to ever doubt my words; I'm very well known as a puppeteer to the other heroes but I never lied to them once. All I said to them was true, maybe in the games I was a despicable black hearted man but it was only a game, if it was reality I will use a lot of other strategies because there are sometimes that strength can't resolve the matter at hand and if I can achieve something without making a bloodbath I will do that without hesitation>

We left Yun Gu and the childrens in their new rooms and Lucius teach them how to use the amenities that were in the mansion, like baths, the kitchen, the entertainment room, etc. Lucius told them that if they want they can read the books in the library, only that those books are only fairy tales and some legends of our world.

When we reached the third floor, Lucius stumble and almost fall, I reach to him immediately and asked what happened.

"What happened? Why you stumbled?" I asked with concern.

"I'm ok, only that I'm tired. I used the eyes of death perception for almost ten minutes and the backlash was stronger than I thought. I can see and everything but my energy is depleted, now I know why Grial told me that using the eyes is very tiring, and I need to rest for a day before I can use them again." Lucius told me that with a wry smile. I think that he was lying before but now I'm sure that what he told was true. I gave him my shoulder to support himself, and the two started to walk to our chambers.

"Lucius I know that you never told a lie when I'm present. I need to know why that is. In the war games you lied, cheated, betrayed and did a lot of despicable things, but you never lied to me or the members of the round table including my father. Why?" (Mordred)

"You know… in my life I read a lot of books about legends or historical facts from the people of the past. One of my favorites was King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. In that story you are portrayed as a treacherous knight but… in my opinion you were corrupted by your mother Morgan Le Fay. I reached the conclusion that you only wanted to serve your father and make her proud that you were her son. I detest the kind of fathers that manipulates their children for their purposes.

I never lied to you and the heroes because you all helped me to become what I'm now. So I will never betray your trust in me even if the entire universe is my enemy in the process. Because I know that you will be at my side. Maybe I was a little mean with Jean and Martha but I never put my expectations in a God that maybe exist or maybe not.

You are the first that really accepted me because who I am, that is why you have my absolute trust and if you ever need something and you can't obtain it, give me a call and I will help you unconditionally." (Lucius)

My mind was a mess; I never expected that kind of answer. We reached our chambers and I left him alone because he needed to take a bath and rest.

I was in my chambers thinking about Lucius. Who is in reality? What are my feelings for him? Why is that he is always looking at me with care? I was remembering our interactions in the years before landing here. His different facets that always displayed when I was near him. When my Father did something that could invite suspicions in the war games he was the one that always reprimand her, telling her that if she did that our efforts will be wasted. That there are times that a king need to be just but at times need to act like a tyrant or when I was in a pinch in a battle and he came to my rescue alone and against all odds we make it alive.

"Yeah… I realize now that I'm in love with him. Sigh…" (Mordred)

Lucius POV

After leaving Mordred I decided to take a bath in the bathhouse that is in the third floor. The use of the eyes of death perception is really a double edge sword. Lugh told me that my eyes are incomplete, that I need to train them to reach the level he has; in that level death is only a state that can be actualized and by consequence changed in what we desire.

I asked him what is the name of those eyes but I never received an answer. According to Lugh those eyes don't have a name because if you named them they lose all their power.

"I need to train them more and reach the Divine Origin Realm in the next two years." (Lucius)

Man this is exhausting I only used the eyes for only ten minutes and look at me I'm in shambles; if my masters were looking at me right now they will use their noble phantasms for being so fragile.

"Sigh…" I sighed and enter the enormous bathtub -after taking a shower- that looks more like an Olympic pool to relieve my tiredness. I was so tired that I started to sleep there and I didn't heard a noise in the dress room that is adjacent to the bathroom; it was only after I heard a scream so close to my ears that I awakened immediately, jumping and standing on guard to possible attacks. I started to look my surroundings when I saw a really excellent view.

Mordred was standing petrified there with only a towel covering her body. Her hair was loose and wet from the shower that she took a few moments before entering the bath. Her body wrapped in the wet towel was so close that it was showing her well-developed body, her legs were bare and so white that looked so gorgeous that my mind decided to imagine a lot of XXX things in those few seconds.

I was standing there like a fool admiring the view that I never notice that I was totally naked! Mordred looked to my lower body when her face turned so red that I swear I saw white smoke coming out from her head when she saw my soul partner.

When I saw her reaction the first thing that I did was cover my body with the towel and smile to a blushed Mordred. I said to her "Sorry Mordred, I was so tired that I slept in the bathroom, I will leave now"; I take my leave and when I reached the door i close the door and my back was drenched in cold sweat that I stumbled and put my back in the cold wall to calm my ragging heart.

'Sweet Mother of God, that view was magnificent' I thought that, because I saw the most beautiful woman in the entire universe in that moment. I was imaging stupid things in my head that only after a long time started to work again. I calmed my ragging hearth, change my clothes and make way to my room to sleep.

After I awoke the first thing that I saw was Mordred staring at me with those big emerald eyes and beautiful face. She was so close that our noses were almost touching! My heart was in turmoil, my mind was completely blank and my body was totally stiff. It was only after our lips touched that my mind returned to me, I was trying to process what is happening but my instincts took control of me and with passion I started kissing Mordred with all my being.

After a very long kiss our lips parted and we stared at each other before the face of Mordred turned red and with a storm she left my room from hers and only after I heard her door shut that my thoughts returned to me.

"That's fucking UNFAIR! MORDRED! How the hell you leave me with a flame in my body! How the hell you expect that I extinguish this heat!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs; it seems that the rooms are soundproof because I didn't hear an answer to my scream.

I went to the shower again to bath in cold water to extinguish the flames of passion that are growing inside me. After a very long time I leave the bathroom and make way to my room to rest but first I shouted to Mordred.

"Mordred hear me out! I will make a vow to you! If you really want to be with me I will make the impossible to make you happy! I don't know what the future has to offer to us and I don't know if you will be the only woman in my life, but know this I will love you with all my being and never betray you! So if you accept my words please open your door and answer me" (Lucius)

I heard a yelp and a few things crashing, it seems that Mordred stubled with the bed, after that I heard the door open and a red faced Mordred was in front of me.

"…"(Mordred)

"…." (Lucius)

We are staring at each other, our faces becoming redder with each minute. After a few more minutes Mordred told me her answer in a very small voice.

"…ept"

"Uh? I couldn't hear you, what is your answer?" I asked again because I absolutely didn't hear her answer.

With a face so red Mordred looked at me and with determination in her eyes she shouted

"I say that I Accept! I LOVE YOU LUCIUS ADRICUS!" (Mordred)