Faceless

That night, something had awakened within her.

She knew not what it was, but it filled her with boundless energy and strength. She ran, her legs moving so quickly that she could barely comprehend what was happening to her. All she wanted to do was find her mother that she missed so much. To cast away the gnawing feeling of worry that filled her heart.

She could always sense her mother’s presence from afar, but this was the first time she was driven to follow it. Like a hunting hound who sought the scent of prey, it was a sixth sense that allowed her to find those she loved. She would not have known it, but all Paladins possessed such a power, for they were guardians. Not warriors.

That was why the sickening sight before Medrauta had left her unable to comprehend reality any longer. The only thing her mind could do was help her escape the unjust world of reality even as the warmth of her mother’s embrace slowly faded against her skin and the crimson of her mother’s blood stained her pure white shirt.

But there was no escape.

Not while her mother knelt before her, a glowing crimson lance piercing straight through the center of her chest. Medrauta’s eyes were wide and blank as she stared ahead, failing to process anything that had happened after Morgana had thrown herself before Morgause’s attack all for the sake of defending her daughter.

“Aha... Ahahahahaha!” Morgause’s twisted laughter resounded throughout the chamber, her vile voice bouncing off the walls and becoming an infinite cacophony of torturous cackling that assailed Medrauta’s ears.

One of her limbs had been utterly shredded by Morgana’s fierce attacks, Merlynne’s enchantments on the Paladin’s blade completely stopping the witch’s regenerative abilities. Copious amounts of black blood dripped from a wide gash in her side, her other wounds adding to the pool of liquid around her feet.

It was clear that she would soon succumb to her wounds. Mere moments ago, she had been ready to surrender herself to the inevitability of death, but her eyes were now filled with life once more as she watched her old nemesis’s blood mix with hers on the floor.

“I was worried for a moment...” Morgause said as her laughter faded at last. “But it seems even you cannot overcome fate, Morgana. The prophecy will be fulfilled, whether you wish for it or not.”

“But you will not be there to see it.” Merlynne spat. Among the three who had engaged in combat, she was the only one still unscathed.

“No, I will not.” Morgause smiled, her voice filled with the slightest trace of regret. “But I have seen enough. The look of despair in Soleil’s face... The look on yours when you became human. It was glorious.”

“So... leil...?” Medrauta managed to say, the name dragging her back to the reality she was unwilling to face.

“Oh, my! Did you not tell her, Morgana? How cruel.” Morgause smirked. “Hear me, child. Your mother is none other than the traitor who abandoned Soleil in her most vulnerable moment. In fact, I doubt I would even be standing here if not for her.”

“...Silence.” Morgana coughed, blood dripping from her lips. She wanted to devote her last moments to her daughter, but it seemed that the heavens had not forgiven her enough to grant that final wish. “Do not sully my daughter’s thoughts with your poison.”

“Poison? But everything I say is true, isn’t it? You are the one who forsook Soleil. You are the one who pushed her away when all she wanted was your love. To think that love had burned so brightly she would be able to obtain the legendary Caliburn... Even Her Majesty could not predict that. Isn’t that right, ‘Merlynne’? Or should I say—”

“ENOUGH!” Morgana roared. “That... That was a mistake. I did not know. I could not have known.”

“You had so many chances to find out.” Morgause said, walking toward Morgana as her voice crept insidiously into the Paladin’s ears. “So many chances you squandered. How different the world would be now if you had only accepted her feelings so her heart was not stolen by Her Majesty.”

“No... T-That’s not... That’s not true. I didn’t... I couldn’t...”

“It was you, Morgana. You were the one who caused Soleil’s greatest shame. The greatest sin in all the world... It was all because of you.” Morgause whispered, her voice just loud enough to be audible to Morgana.

“I SAID ENOUGH!” Morgana thundered. Even as her life slowly slipped away, she would be deprived of her daughter. But that was a small price to pay if she could finally silence this witch before she wormed her way into Medrauta’s heart.

She wrenched herself away from Medrauta, freeing the crimson spear from her chest and thrusting it mightily at the witch. In a single blow, she had impaled Morgause through the center of her head. The tip pierced straight through the witch’s skull with ease, the force of Morgana’s thrust burying over half the shaft inside Morgause’s head.

But the witch only smirked.

“Did you forget?” Morgause laughed as her magic pulled the spear from her head, leaving no wound behind. “These spears are mine. You cannot harm me with my own power.”

“No! Morgana!” Merlynne shouted. The blue-haired woman leapt forward, hoping to shield the Paladin from Morgause’s spear, but it was too late.

The lance had pierced Morgana once more, but not through the chest this time. This time, Morgause aimed for the same target as Morgana had, driving the crimson spear through her skull.

Morgana staggered back, collapsing beside her catatonic daughter.

“Ma... ma...?” Medrauta’s dull blue eyes were wide as she stared at her mother who only had seconds left to live. She took Morgana’s hand in her own, feeling the warmth of her mother’s body fading away rapidly.

“....I’m... sorry...” Morgana’s lips twitched as she attempted to give her daughter one last smile. Her body would not permit it. “I... love... y—”

Morgause would not permit her even those last words. Bound by the witch’s magic, the spear in Morgana’s head twisted and extracted itself, ending the Paladin’s life prematurely. Blood splattered across Medrauta’s face and clothes, her already dull eyes becoming lightless.

“No...” Merlynne couldn’t believe her eyes. “Your Oath... Why didn’t... Why didn’t you use it, Morgana!?”

Morgause sucked in a deep breath as the spear flew into her hands. Despite all her posturing and grandstanding, she didn’t have long to live either. Steadily, she approached Medrauta, knowing that Merlynne posed no danger without Morgana by her side. After all, Merlynne was an existence that must be wielded.

How pitiable. The greatest blade in all of history now forced to watch as I end this farce and allow the prophecy to progress as is destined. Morgause stopped before Medrauta, a sickening smile on her face. Her Majesty will return, and I shall rest in the underworld till she calls my soul once more.

“Do you have any last words, child? I am not completely heartless, for I bear a daughter of my own.”

Medrauta remained silent.

“I suppose you wouldn’t. Farewell then, child.” Morgause’s arm raised, poised to deliver the final blow.

“...Soleil. Mama... betrayed Soleil?”

“...Oh. Yes. Yes, she did.” Morgause’s eyes widened, surprised that the child could still speak after all she’d witnessed. She lowered her arm once more, staying her spear. The child was going to die anyway, so there was no need to rush.

“I believe they had a duel, but nothing ever came of it.” Morgause shrugged. “Your mother never came to help Soleil even in her darkest moments. That was why Her Majesty couldn’t be slain ‘til the end when Aluvsha himself had to intervene so the brightest of his creations was not sullied.”

“Soleil... fought mother?”

“Hm? Yes, that’s what I just said, child. But that’s not the point. The point is that your mother betrayed Soleil in her weakest moment, and because of that, she died. Just like you will. Don’t you hate your mother? Shouldn’t she have kept her promise?”

“Soleil... fought mother. So mother is... Miss Paladin...?”

“What?” Morgause clicked her tongue in annoyance. The child wasn’t making any sense, and she could feel her life slowly continue to slip away. It was time to end this farce. “Whatever. Is that all you have to say, child?”

Medrauta stared at her mother’s corpse, her lifeless eyes containing the empty hope that Morgana’s wounds would suddenly close and she would be alright again.

Morgause raised her spear once more, directing it at the silent child. Her appointed time had come. In the end, she had failed to corrupt the child’s mind before killing her, but it was irrelevant now. She would have plenty more chances once the prophecy was fulfilled.

The crimson lance descended toward Medrauta, ending her life.

“...Clarent.”

Twang!

Or so Morgause thought. In reality, the tip of the spear never even managed to scratch Medrauta’s skin. The shaft bent tremendously upon colliding with the silver-blue aura that shimmered around the silver-haired child, struggling against the impenetrable barrier in vain until it snapped.

Morgana turned her lightless eyes toward Morgause, looking up at the witch blankly. There was no rage in her eyes, nor was there despair. Her ability to feel either emotion had disappeared along with her mother’s life.

She stretched a hand out toward Morgana’s sword. It laid still on the floor, but now it shivered, clanging against the floor as it shook violently before flying toward Medrauta and into her hand. The weapon should have been much too heavy for a child of her size, but she somehow wielded it with ease.

For the first time in her life, Morgause felt fear. It was an emotion so wholly foreign to her that she could actually do nothing but stand still, transfixed by Medrauta’s aloof advance. She hadn’t felt it when Soleil had stormed Her Majesty’s Spire. Even moments ago when she was at the verge of being slain by Morgana, the only thing she could feel was regret at not being able to see the prophecy fulfilled. But now, genuine waves of fear wracked her body to its bones.

There was nothing in Medrauta’s eyes as she raised the enchanted sword to Morgause’s navel. They reflected no light, their depths like an endless abyss that sought to devour everything in this unfair world. There was no hate nor passion. Only the endless desire for Morgause’s death.

“Medrauta...” Merlynne called out to the child, hoping to somehow rescue Medrauta from a fate worse than death. Yet, when she tried to utter more words, she found that she had none. There was nothing she could say to someone who desired nothing but oblivion.

Medrauta thrust her sword upwards, burying its blade in the frozen witch’s body. Morgause could barely comprehend what was happening. Her spear destroyed by a mere child and the tiny vestige of lifeforce she still retained slipping away, Morgause could do nothing but accept her fate. As the full length of the blade slid through her flesh, the witch’s lips parted, emitting a soundless howl. The cold steel formed her final sensation before her body dissolved into nothing more than ash.

The sword in Medrauta’s hands fell to the ground.

It had served its sole purpose.

Merlynne stared at Medrauta, her mouth agape. Never in her wildest dreams could she have foreseen such an outcome. Most children would have simply bawled and accepted their fate, but Medrauta had allowed despair to overcome her, seeking nothing more than to avenge her fallen mother. On one hand, it was impressive, but on the other, it was so terrifying that a shiver ran down her spine.

Her silver eyes fell upon the blue glow still lingering on Medrauta’s body, its presence answering her question from earlier. Morgana, you fool... Did you already know this would happen?

Merlynne shook her head. There was nothing else she could do now. The only thing left was to repay her old friend for everything she had done over the years. With a resolute nod, the blue-haired woman made her way toward Medrauta, her footsteps leaving small cuts on the stone floor.

“...Medrauta.”

The child did not respond.

She had already completed her sole goal in life.

“Please forgive me for what I am about to do.”

A single finger pierced through the shimmering blue veil and touched Medrauta’s head. A drop of blood fell, and all became dark.

When Medrauta next woke, she found herself alone at home, waiting for her faceless mother who would never come back.