Altered Mordred

Chapter 3

The bodies that laid before me. The smell of fresh corpses and rusted iron. They were soldiers conscripted to fight for their King. I killed them on my own accord. I slaughtered them for the rebellion against my Father.

I chose this path, a future destined to be taken by the bastard child of the King. There was no remorse for I embraced my destiny. The blood and guts soaking my blade was proof of my commitment.

For once in my life, I felt free...Free reign over my body...body.

Was I a different person? No, that was not possible. I was and forever would be Mordred. But I have knowledge and emotions I could not have experienced in this life. Who was I before this...before Mordred? I vividly remember referring to myself as an otaku. The title was very confusing since no such honor was given to anyone of this land.

NO! It didn't matter who I was before and who I was not now. I was Mordred, the Knight of Rebellion and Treachery. Nothing else mattered until I quenched my flames of hatred.

"Guh." A blond knight pushed himself off the ground. His armor was horribly damaged and his wounds were mortally severe.

"You're still alive, Gawain?" The injured knight gasped for air as he steadied himself with his stained sword. I applauded his tenacity for life. "Very impressive considering that hole in your stomach."

"How were you able to gain so much support? Just how were you able to do all of this from our notice?" He asked in between large puffs of air. I stood firm on my position. Gawain was too weak to be a threat any longer. My armor was also covered in blood, though not my own. We stared in silence, his eyes never wavering and demanded answers.

"Merlin and women." I sternly replied. My response shook Gawain's entire being, even more so than his injuries. Gawain probably remembered his last interaction with Merlin. Poor mage, he lived and died forever remembered to be a womanizer. In my honest opinion, he had it coming for cheating on multiple powerful women. I didn't make any plans to kill him; it just happened as foretold by those strange memories of mine. It was supposed to happen way after my rebellion. Just my luck that it happened now rather than later.

Without the mage, Arthur was ignorant of many, if not all, of the affairs of his domain. Too much of a perfect king to lower himself to petty squabbles of the common folk. It led to a huge drop in his support. He became sheltered in his glory and empty praises towards his allies. Though the people around him didn't openly express their displeasure, their distaste for the king grew within their hearts like a parasite feasting on the defenseless. I used it to my advantage.

"I see." Gawain pointed his sword towards me. "Even so, I can not allow you to live."

"Big promises coming from a dying fool. Is the blood loss too much for you to handle?" I mocked my former ally.

"No, he's just a natural airhead." A youthful figure came into view from behind me.

"G-Gareth...Why have you sided against the king?!" The shock of seeing his cousin and fellow Knight of the Round Table induced weakness into his legs. Gawain fell onto his knees, his sword was the only thing keeping his face from crashing onto the soil.

"You should know as well as I do that things are getting out of hand." Gareth heavily sighed. "I had seen the pointless deaths of my two siblings during the execution of Guinevere by the hands of Lancelot. If it wasn't for Sir Mordred, I would have also joined them in death."

She walked towards Gawain, holding her gaze with his. "All because our king could not express a bit of humility to his subjects-to his very wife. Britain would be in ruins if nothing is done to save it, either by the barbarians or an internal rebellion." She stopped and kneeled in front of Gawain's bloodied face. "And I know Sir Mordred has the heart to right the wrongs forced on the people of Britain."