Chapter 7

A/N- Hi, everyone. I've been trying to do some research into Noble phantasms, and I'm not really seeing examples of them being used when the heros were alive. I'm not sure if they only get them when they die or not. An example of this is gilgamesh, who had a bunch of them when he was alive? For my purpose, I'm going to make them a one-time use kinda thing for this portion of the novel. I hope I explain it well enough in this chapter.

thanks!

Godrick

"Hello Godrick, it's been a very long time. We have much to talk about." Merlin said.

Staring at the man, Godricks was dumbfounded. He raised his arms in the air as if to say, "What the hell?"

"What? You've never had a strange man climb through your window before?" Merlin laughed.

"Now sit down, dear boy, sit. I don't have much time here." Merlin said as he hopped from the window.

As they each sat down, Merlin's smile was replaced by a somber look.

"Godrick," he said. "You and the Warlord's presence has changed much in this world. So much, in fact, that there are entities and powers that have been thrown off balance. Forces of the world have been upset, to the point that they require… a payment of sort." He said in a grim voice.

"In the coming war against the Warlord, Artoria can not face her in battle. If she does, she will die. I can't tell you anymore than that. Do you understand?" He said seriously.

Godrick nodded his head hurriedly, starting to stress over this new information.

"Travel to Dozmary pool in 6 months' time, where Artoria and Lancelot received their blessings and weapons. There, you will meet someone who can help explain things better to you. You must travel there to meet with the lady of the lake. She will help guide you on your path to fulfill your destiny." He then placed a hand on Godricks shoulder as he stood to leave.

"And always remember. Everything is for the greater good." He stated. And with that, Merlin ran towards the window and lept.

Fearing for the man, Godrick ran to the window and looked out, only to see nothing.

Returning to his seat, he thought of what the man had said.

'What did he mean, Artoria will die? She's the strongest person there is. She would wipe the floor with the Warlord.' He thought to himself. Getting up, he got into bed, still thinking and stressing about what he would do in the coming months.

Six month time skip

Godrick

Six months had passed since Merlin had spoken to him. The man had given him much to think about, and with that information, Godrick did the only thing he could. He trained.

He hadn't told anyone about what Merlin had said for fear of their reaction. They would definitely try to deal with it in their own way, and that was something he wouldn't allow. This would be his burden alone, and he would deal with it himself.

He had gotten much stronger in this time. He had gotten used to using his armor as if it were a second skin.

Morgan had broken through in her research of the gems as well and was able to give him the ability to use both the energy shield and the kinetic burst. Interestingly enough, he also gained the ability to absorb magical energy and redirect it to either the shield or the burst. He was now like a walking fortress, able to protect himself in almost every situation. The only problem was that he could still be hurt. It just comes with the benefit of making him stronger. He had found that his armor had a limit to the amount of energy it could store for his burst as well. He had tested it with Morgan and learned that ALL kinetic energy was stored. He could walk, and it would store energy in it, though it would be a minuscule amount. He was able to destroy a small village with the energy he had saved up for a couple of weeks.

He was shocked at the damage he had done but knew that it was necessary for what was to come.

The war had progressed well, as they had finally cornered the Warlord in the west of whales in a city named Tyddewi (the city now known as St. Davids). She had been driven out of every city in the kingdom of Camelot and was making her last stand in the castle that sat on the cliffs overlooking the sea. It had not been easy, but everything had been worth it.

There was no information on Igraine, but they had learned the Warlord had four Generals in total.

Anthrax, the man Godrick had fought.

Monty the archer. Most likely, the man who had killed Earl Grasso.

An assassin named Noel.

Finally, a man named Gareth. Little was known about the last man, but we knew much about the other three. Anthrax was the Warlords war leader. He fought of the front lines in the past months. However, Godrick didn't meet him in any of the battles he was a part of.

The archer Monty had buried one of his large black arrows in Godricks left shoulder a couple months back when they were scouting out the area surrounding Tyddewi, but he had disappeared from the larger scout party after the attempt on Godricks life.

The assassin Noel had also tried to kill Godrick and Artoria but had failed in both attempts.

The man named Gareth was the most mysterious of the four. He hadn't tried anything, so Artorias War Council had concluded that he was a noncombatant.

With this information, they were ready to start the final phase of the war preparation. They would gather the army and march to Tyddewi. But unknown to anyone, Godrick would travel south to dozmary pool to meet the lady of the lake and hopefully get some answers.

On the night before the march, Godrick left a note to his mother, telling her he needed to leave for a short time but that he would meet the army at their final destination. He told her not to worry and that he loved her. And with that, he left. He traveled to the stables, where he met his horse. It was a massive beast bred for war and slaughter. Standing just above Godricks seven foot stature, the horse seemed to be extremely excited to see him as Godrick smiled and ran his hands through the horses' thick mane and over the horses muscular body. He saddled up the horse, putting his supplies on him, then prepared another horse to carry his armor. With the two horses ready to go, he left.

It only took him a day's journey to reach the fabled lake. It was close to midnight as the black water came into view. However, the closer he got to it, the more it began to change. The water seemed to glow as a figure rose from the center of the lake, shrouded in mist due to the cold air. As the figure approached him, Godrick dismounted his horse and left the two to walk to the lakes edge. Now that he was closer, the water began to have small lights and swirls in it, giving it an ethereal deep blue glow. As the figure came closer, Godrick noticed that the light was coming from it. Wherever the figure stepped on the water's surface, the swirls of light spread out from where its feet were.

He could see the figure now, as the light had spread through the lake, giving it a deep blue glow. The figure was a tall woman, standing a head shorter than Godrick. She was fair skinned and had long platinum hair that ran down her back and shoulders and wore a white loose dress that was soaking wet, which made it cling to her body. She had a faint smile on her face, but her eyes were red as if she had been crying. Godrick didn't know if it was tears that ran down her face or just the water from her hair.

He walked down the rocky path to make it to the water's edge, and there he knelt to feel the water. It was a cool temperature, but not too cold as to cause discomfort. As he stood, the woman whom he assumed to be the lady of the lake finally spoke to him.

"Hello, Godrick." She said.

"My how you've grown over the years." She continued as Godrick noticed her slight trembling.

"You must have many questions. I know Merlin visited you to tell you to come find me. We will get to your question in a moment, but first, drink." She said as she gestured to the water.

Confused, he knelt down once again and dipped a cupped hand into the water. He brought it to his lips and drank, only to feel a burning in his throat. It was only a small discomfort that passed quickly, and with it the confusion that he held.

"Speak." She commanded.

He opened his mouth, but only a whisper came forth. Trying again, he finally spoke.

"How?"

Was the only word that came from him. He hadn't been able to speak for many years, and his voice was scratchy and rasping.

"Magic dear child." Was his answer.

"My magic. While you are here in my domain, you may speak freely, but once you leave, the magic will disappear from you." The lady of the lake answered him.

"Now, you must have many questions. Ask them, and I will answer."

He looked into her eyes and asked his first question

"Who are you?"

"My name is Viviane." She answered simply.

He immediately asked his second question, which had plagued him ever since Merlin's visit. His voice was a bit stronger than before, and it only grew the more he used it.

"Why must Artoria not fight the Warlord?" He asked.

"Simply because she is not ready to. If she does, she will die. She does not have the strength to do so at this moment." Viviane answered.

"How do you know that? She is the strongest person in the lands at this time." He said.

"It's been prophesied that she must not face the Warlord in this coming battle. If she does, she will die." She responded with certainty.

"Who prophesied this?" Godrick asked.

"Merlin himself." Viviane answered.

This made Godrick think for a moment and ask his next question.

"Where is my sister?" He asked.

"She has been locked away in the north, and her sword has been taken from her. But she is alright. There are a couple of small injuries, but nothing too bad yet." She said.

"Yet?" He asked in his deep voice, which had finally returned to normal.

"Yes, yet. If the Warlord lives through this battle, she will kill both Artoria and Mordred." She said with a shaking voice, which didn't go unnoticed by Godrick.

"Are you ok? You're acting strangely?" He asked.

"I'm fine, child. I just fear for the future." She said in a shaking voice.

"So the Warlord must die in the coming battle. Who can kill her?" He asked.

Viviane looked at him for a while before he finally understood his purpose in this war.

"I am to kill her." He stated.

"Yes." Viviane answered in a whisper, her voice trembling more than ever.

"Merlin told me that the Warlord and I have changed the balance, and entities have been upset. What did he mean?" He asked.

"The Warlord's presence has changed the fate of many individuals and has thrown the balance out of place. You are the world's solution to this problem. You are meant to kill the Warlord and set the world back on the path that it was set on." She answered.

"This water, how can it heal me?" He asked

"It's only temporary. Once you leave this place, you will not be able to speak again. The water itself is magical, able to draw out the dormant potential in an individual like Artoria and Lancelot. It will do the same with you." She answered.

He still had many questions, but now he knew enough to be satisfied. He knew his role in this war and would put his all into it.

"In order to defeat the Warlord, you need a weapon that can match your sisters blade." She said as she walked closer to the shoreline.

In the lake, you will find it, and you will find the strength to carry you along your path." She said, now gesturing to the depth of the water.

"Have faith, dear Godrick." She said

Godrick understood what needed to happen and began to undress.

He stripped down to his underwear and began to enter the water. It was colder than before, but not so bad.

Viviane watched him enter, and when she saw the scar that covered his body, tears sprang to her eyes once more. She could only look away when she saw the lash scars on his back, and once he had submerged himself in the water, her mask finally broke. She began to weep as she thought about the pains he had gone through, the hardships he had suffered to be here this day.

As Godrick entered the cool water, he felt relaxed. The healing properties of the water soothed his body, and as he submerged himself deeper, he felt himself grow stronger. The light began to gather around him as he walked deeper into the lake, allowing him to see in the depths. He also didn't feel the need to breathe. He could see a faint object farther in the depths, and as he walked closer to it, he finally saw what it was. A sword buried in a stone.

Viviane

As Godrick was in the depths of the lake, Viviane took this moment to call over his horses. They came and drank from the water, rejuvenating themselves in preparation for the journey to Tyddewi. The water strengthened them and gave them more stamina, allowing them to grow to their limits.

She looked to Godricks armor and cast a spell that would change it to fit a man much larger than him. Once the spell was done, she looked in the depths to see his progress.

Godrick

The sword in the stone was a large two-handed great sword. The golden pommel held a blue stone almost matching the stone gems in Godricks armor. The hilt was blue with golden accents, leading to a golden cross guard with blue accents. The blade was a fine silver color with a gold vein running down the center. Runes ran down the length of it and slowly started to glow as he approached.

He grabbed onto the blade, and as he did, he began to feel his strength leave him. He felt his body go weak, and his will begin to wane as he struggled to keep hold of the blade. He clamped down on the feelings of weakness and reinforced his will onto the blade. It finally relented as he won the battle of wills, and it allowed him to pull it away from the stone.

Viviane

Viviane watched as Godrick walked from the water with his prize. The sword Caliburn had been reforged as a large two-handed great sword. Originally forged for the king of Camelot, it was broken and given back to the lake. Now, it will serve a different purpose in its second life. As he emerged from the water, it was evident he had changed. He was much larger than before, and his hair had changed from golden to white. His eyes had changed to an even paler shade of blue, becoming almost white. The water cascaded from him to reveal his large muscular form, which was more defined than when he had entered. His arms were thicker, chest and shoulders more broad, sharper features. He now also stood at eight feet, towering over Viviane.

"What happened to me?" He asked as he looked his body over.

"The magic of the world has granted you limitless potential to grow. You may fight the Warlord on equal footing now." She said, approaching him.

She reached out and touched the sword. "You have bonded with the sword Caliburn for a short time. When it has fulfilled its purpose, it will return here, to be laid to rest. You have been granted the ability to call forth its magic only once, so use it wisely. You may call forth its magic by saying its name." She said

"But once I leave here, I won't be able to speak anymore." He stated.

"Yes… do you have anything you can take some of this water with you?" She asked him.

He buried the blade of Caliburn into the ground beneath him and walked to his horses. They were much bigger than before, but he would think about that later. He pulled his water skin from his horse and dumped it out. Returning to Viviane, he knelt down and filled it again.

"Remember Godrick. This water will lose its magical potency and will become dull over time." She said

Godrick understood and thanked her for everything.

"I'll return when I've killed the Warlord! Thank you for everything you've given me!" He said as he dressed himself.

Before he left, Viviane told him to kneel before her. She took the sword Caliburn and, holding the hilt, touched his right shoulder before touching his left shoulder with the blade. She then gave him the sword and its scabbard, which she held and held his face. She looked deeply into his eyes as tears came to hers. She then drew him into her bosom and started to weep before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

Confused, he stood and thanked her again. As he mounted his horse, she called out to him one final time.

"Godrick!" She yelled at him.

"One Queen must die so that one may live!" She stated.

"What do you mean?" He shouted back, but she would speak no more.

Feeling as if he had more questions, then when he came, he departed. Going back to regroup with the army. To war.

As Godrick rode away, she finally broke down. Falling to the water's surface, she sat as if it were solid and wept.

Soon, a figure appeared from the night walking to her.

"You have sent him to his death!" She shouted at the figure next to her.

"You have sent YOUR son, OUR son to his death! For what? Some stupid prophecy about Artoria Pendragon?" She shouted, her voice breaking.

"You wouldn't even let me tell him the real prophecy! And now we have sent him to die, all so that Artoria can become stronger?" She hissed at the figure beside her.

"His death will propel Artoria to greater heights. This is all for the greater good." Merlin said.

This made Viviane's head snap up in his direction.

"You don't even care about him, do you." She stated in a disbelieving voice.

"Of course I care for him! But my duty is to the land. And that comes before my family. Artoria must be strong if she is to kill the Warlord and set the balance back in order. Godricks death will help her do that. She does not have the strength of character to kill the Warlord yet. Once she finds out who she is, she will falter, and it will cost her. But if she were to find out who the Warlord was in the middle of a fight with her, she would be killed." He explained.

"But to tell him that he was the one prophesied to kill the Warlord!" She trailed off.

"I'm done being a part of your schemes, Merlin." She said now in a voice that scared the man.

"I curse you!" She shouted, standing up.

Merlin got to his feet in a hurry to try to placate the woman, but it didn't work. She was furious at him. She hadn't stopped crying this whole time.

"You ripped him from me when he was born and sold him into slavery, just so he could be found and raised by that bitch Artoria! He is MY son, not hers!" She shouted at him, the surrounding area beginning to vibrate at her anger, a testament to her power.

"All because of your damned "Greater Good"!" She shrieked.

The area was now overshadowed by dark clouds, lightning streaking through the sky.

"You return to that damn tower of yours, and stay there. Because if I ever see you again I'll kill you in the most gruesome ways possible!" She screamed.

Merlin was terrified now. He picked up his staff and began to run to his tower, hoping to save himself from Viviane's wrath. She didn't chase him however. She just let him run. After a minute or two she collapsed back to the solid water, and curled up into a ball, beginning to weep again.

"I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" She wept over and over.