CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
EXCALIBUR ( i. )

1 YEAR AGO
THE RING (UTHER'S KINGDOM)

Underground fighting rings were illegal in all of the Five Kingdoms, but every single one had secret tunnels under the earth that led to where unlawfulness took place. Thanks to Hawk, Calliope found the entrance to one of these rings-- the one taking place right under Uther's nose about a day's journey away from the prestigious city of Camelot.

The entrance was inside a large cave at the edge of a wide array of mountains. From the tree line, Calliope could see everyone that went in and out; each of them holding a small coin that allowed them to enter past the three guards. She needed to get one of those coins, and it had to be done quietly.

She moved like a cat through the forest, positioning herself behind a thick tree --her heart hammered in her chest as she heard footsteps approaching. The blonde reached into her belt, her palm closing around the handle of her dagger.

When the footsteps got close, she moved swiftly; stepping out from behind the tree and slicing the unsuspecting man's throat in one motion. He gasped, falling to the dirt with a quiet thud. Calliope didn't waste any time. She dragged his dead body into the foliage and began searching every pocket. Her fingers felt a cool, metal object in his jacket, and when she pulled it out, a smile lifted her lips.

The coin was silver with a small wolf in the center --a specially made trinket used for Underground deals, or in this case, to get into an illegal fighting ring.

Calliope stood, straightening her black tunic, and keeping her hood down as she walked calmly out of the forest towards the guards, who each had a sharp weapon in their hands.

As soon as she approached them, their eyes filled with suspicion.

"Show us your key."

"Oh, you mean this?" Calliope said with a smirk as she extended her hand, displaying the coin.

The suspicion faded as the guards moved aside, revealing a hollow cave illuminated with orange torchlight.

She acted like she had been in the caves several times, not hesitating to follow the path the torches illuminated for her. As she got deeper into the caves, she could hear the echoes of cheers rising. Calliope pulled her hood over her head, taking a sharp right to get closer to all the commotion.

Calliope definitely wasn't expecting the scale of the ring to be so large because when she took one final turn, she had to stop to take everything in.

The entrance was a wide platform with two staircases made of stone on both sides descending to the round cage below. Across from the platform was an identical one, but this platform had two large chairs-- that's where the person in charge would sit, but at the moment, he wasn't there. Orvyn Blackwell, where are you?

Below, a large crowd surrounded the cage, yelling at two contenders inside, who were attacking each other merciless; basically beating one another to death. The floor was caked in blood--new and old-- and a line of people in chains with numbers branded into their biceps waited near the locked door to the fighting arena. Calliope wondered, just for a moment, if she would have ended up here if a different person would have bought her at the slave auction when she met Sepharin.

She shook off the thoughts as the fight ended. The smaller man finally gave out and the larger one snapped his neck. The brutality made the crowd even louder as they praised the kill. Someone came in to drag the body away and let in the next victims.

"Everyone, listen up!" Calliope's eyes snapped to the platform across from the one she was standing on. A man dressed in expensive robes with dark hair and gold rings stood, looking down at the crowd. "The gambling table is about to close for the night, so get your last bets in soon! All the matchups are listed by number-- you can examine each contestant and decide who you think will be tonight's victor!" The people cheered, causing the man to smirk. That had to be Blackwell.

Calliope moved instantly. She walked down the first staircase, maneuvering her way through the crowd. A few people bumped into her and muttered low curses, but she kept her eyes trained on the staircase that led up to the platform Blackwell was standing on. He greeted a few men, all decked out in their own fancy jewelry.

Her dagger was tucked away, but her hand ghosted its sheath as she climbed the stairs. The men above her began walking into the tunnels behind the platform, and she picked up her pace to catch up with them.

She heard their low, murmuring voices from the other side of the wall.

"Thirteen is a guaranteed win. He's the only one trained in combat in the whole bunch."

"I know. I put him in the lot."

The group laughed, "We split the profit three ways like always."

"Alright, I'll see you gentlemen after the show."

Calliope moved away from the wall, turning her back and pulling her hood down to cover more of her face as the other two men came forward to walk down the stairs so they could keep watching the fights. This was her window, and she took it.

Her dagger left the sheath. She stepped behind the wall, and Blackwell was leaning against it, taking sips from a golden goblet.

He didn't notice the dagger at first. Instead, he pushed himself off the wall, and his eyes grazed over Calliope in a very unpleasant way.

"Hello, love," he said as she came closer. "Are you my real entertainment this evening?"

"Something like that," Calliope responded, kneeing him in the stomach and shoving his back against the wall with her dagger pressed against a very delicate part of him. His eyes were wide and laced with fear. "This is what's going to happen. You're going to come with me quietly, or I'm going to cut your dick off. Understand?"

Blackwell nodded slowly, still trying to process what was happening as the blonde yanked him away from the wall and led him deeper into the caves until they were far away from the fighting ring. She pushed him away from the torches and into the shadows, and he groaned in pain as Calliope slammed his spine into the stone with her sharp blade against his throat.

She could feel the fear radiating off him as pressed the blade tighter into his skin, causing blood to run down his neck.

"Please, I'll give you as much money as you want. Just don't kill me."

"Oh, Orvyn, how thoughtful of you," she said, and alarm took over his face at her knowing his real name, "but I'm not here for money."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I want you to answer some questions," she said in a threatening tone, "and don't even think about trying to lie because if I sense even one tiny drop of deception, I will kill you slowly. We clear?"

A shaky breath left his lips, "Yes."

"Eight years ago you were in a raiding party that destroyed a small village outside of Camelot. Sound familiar?" He nodded, unsure of where she was going with this. "So, what would lead the financial advisor to the king to commit such a horrible crime against his own people? Did Uther give the orders?"

"No," he shook his head. "No, it wasn't Uther."

"Then who?" She demanded.

"I don't know, I swear!" he exclaimed. "All I know is that someone put out a hit in the Underground on that village-- ten thousand gold pieces to anyone that joined the raiding party."

"Why?"

"You know how the Underground works. Questions aren't asked; you just do the job and get paid. That's it."

"Well, who paid you?"

He let out an exasperated sigh, "The money was at an abandoned house in Cenred's kingdom. We each got our part and left. I never spoke to any of them again."

"Then give me the name of the man who was in charge," Calliope said, pressing the blade even tighter against his neck. "The one who killed the sorcerer."

"I-I don't know his name," Orvyn gulped. "Just the alias he goes by."

Calliope's eyes narrowed, "Tell me."

"The Phoenix," he said through a gasping breath as the knife drew more blood. "People call him the Phoenix."

The blonde angled the knife away his neck, and the man let out a giant breath of relief.

"Thank you," she said, "for your cooperation."

And then, she plunged the blade into his chest, watching the life drain away from his eyes. Orvyn Blackwell fell to the ground of the cave, taking his last breath in the shadows.

Calliope looked down at him. That was twenty-nine out of thirty, and now, she would just have to find the Phoenix.

She cleaned off her blade, "Looks like the King needs a new financial advisor."

PRESENT DAY
CAMELOT

Right after the sun goes down in Camelot, everyone in the palace gathers for a very special occasion: the official crowning of the Prince, who has finally come of age. Calliope stands near the window with Merlin on side of her and Gwen on the other. Her eyes follow the Prince as he enters the Throne Room, and she can't help the small smile from appearing on her lips.

For a second, his eyes drift over to her, and linger as he returns her smile, but then his gaze returns to his father, who stands above him with a crown in his hands.

Arthur leans down, placing his knees on the red pillow, and Uther grabs the golden staff as he begins the ceremony.

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions, according to the statutes, customs and laws laid down by your forebears?"

As Arthur looks at his father, his eyes are full of determination and loyalty, "I do, Sire."

"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your deeds and judgements?"

"I do, Sire."

Uther brings the staff down right in front of Arthur, "And do you swear allegiance to Camelot, now and for as long as you shall live?"

The prince grips the staff, "I, Arthur Pendragon, do pledge life and limb to your service, and to the protection of tis kingdom and its peoples."

A servant brings the crown, resting on a red pillow, to Uther. The King lifts up up, "Now, being of age, and the heir apparent, from henceforth you shall be Crown Prince of Camelot."

The crown is placed on Arthur's head, and he rises to face the clapping crowd around him. Calliope brings her hands together grinning as he meets her eyes again.

"So, how does it feel to be servant to the Crown Prince?" Gwen asks Merlin, bringing Calliope's eyes away from Arthur.

"Washing his royal socks will be even more of a privilege," Merlin answers, sarcasm lacing his tone.

Gwen laughs lightly, "You're proud of him, really, even though you complain about him constantly, and you too, Cal. I see you two grinning at each other."

"Hey, don't bring me into this," Calliope says, her gaze drifting to a face she doesn't recognize amongst the royal court congratulating Arthur— a taller man with greying hair. "Who's that?"

"Oh, that's the King's new financial advisor," Merlin answers. "It took him forever to find a new one. I hear the man before him mysteriously disappeared from the court and has never been seen again."

Calliope tries to keep a straight face, "How terrible."

Then, before the prince's party can even begin, the grand window across from the throne bursts, glass shattering all around. A dark knight on a midnight horse plunges through the crowd, erupting a chorus of screams.

Arthur and every knight present draw their swords. Calliope reaches to her own sheath, and steps forward and the knight rides right for Arthur, but his horse comes to a halt in front of the prince.

Everyone awaits the mysterious intruder's actions as a tense moment passes, and then, he pulls off his right gauntlet and tosses it to the floor. The armor echoes against the stone, and Arthur glances down at it.

But before he can reach down to accept the challenge, another knight steps forward who looks younger than Calliope.

"I , Sir Owain, accept your challenge."

The knight's head snaps to the young knight. His voice is deep and it sends chills down Calliope's spine as if she's just see a ghost.

"Single combat. Noon tomorrow...to the death."

Everyone in the crowd is too stunned and afraid to speak as the knight makes his way towards the door on his horse— it's hooves pounding deeply on the floor.

Calliope looks back to Sir Owain. He probably hasn't even seen battle yet; never even killed another man before, and yet he looks on his opponent with confidence.

However, Calliope has this one too many times to count. A young, arrogant boy thinking he's ready to be a man being ended by someone with far greater skill.

She only hopes Sir Owain will prove her wrong.

♛ ♛ ♛

"He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet!"

Arthur faces Calliope in his chambers, shaking his head as he rests his hands on the table.

"You can put a stop to this. There has to be a way to end it."

"The challenge has been taken up. The fight cannot be stopped."

Calliope throws her hands up in frustration, "Then one of us has to fight in his place. I've helped you train Owain, and he is not ready for this—that's a fact you and I both know."

"No, that's not possible."

"Why not?"

"Owain picked up the gauntlet. Owain must be the one to fight. That's the knight's code. He knew that."

Frustration pinches the blonde's face as she mutters to herself, "Why does this place have so many goddamn rules?

Arthur hears her quiet words, "Well, not everyone can be like you, Calliope. We can't just strut around and decide which rules apply to us and which ones don't just because of convenience."

"This isn't about convenience," Calliope replies. "Arthur, this is a fight to the death. Has Owain even killed a fucking rabbit?" Arthur sighs, but he can't disagree. "He's barely old enough to be a knight, let alone battle someone to the death."

The prince turns to Calliope, taking a step in her direction, "I'm well aware of the situation, Calliope, but there's nothing I can do. Owain must fight tomorrow."

Calliope pinches the bridge of her nose, "This is going to end so terribly."

All they can do is wait and sit and watch as Owain faces his fate. Calliopes hates to see someone so young with their whole lives ahead of them jump towards death with so much nobility and determination. She has stared death in the face, and she would tell anyone that's it's not as glorious as it might seem.

She can't see Owain's decision as anything but completely stupid and reckless, and she can't shake the awful feeling that something horrible is going to happen. It haunts her for the rest of the day and on into the next morning.

Calliope makes her way out of her room and begins trekking towards Arthur's chambers where Merlin is helping Owain get ready for his fight. She has to get there in time to give the boy a few last minute pointers and reminders. Out of all the knights she has been helping train, Owain is the most confident in himself, but that trait often leads to a major downfall instead of a victory.

There are so many things to tell-- footwork, coordination, finding your opponents weakness, close combat, and Calliope didn't have enough minutes to explain everything to Owain. She only wishes she could take his armor and fight the knight instead.

When Calliope pushes the door of Arthur's room open, she sees Owain standing by the table with Merlin fastening his armor, but there is no presence of fear in his eyes.

This is going to be a huge disaster, and Calliope will be the one to tell everyone the big fat line of 'I told you so."

Arthur stands in front of Owain, pacing with a focused look on his face.

"You've never fought in mortal combat before. It's different," The prince stops to stand behind him while Merlin fastens his cape. "It's not the training I've been giving you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Hey," Calliope marches up to him, and grabs his arm roughly. "Stop being so smug, this is serious, Owain. We've never seen him fight, so you'll have to find his weakness on the spot. Whatever it is, use it against him, and don't hesitate--not even for a second when you get the opening for the final blow because if you do, he will kill you." His smug expression has turned into a more serious one as Calliope lets go of his arm.

Merlin nudges her shoulder, "That was kind of harsh, Cal."

"Shut up, Merlin. It's the truth."

"I have the same advantage as him," Owain says, glancing between the three people around him. "He's never seen me fight either."

Arthur nods, "True."

"You've watched me," he glances at Calliope. "Both of you."

"Yes."

"And?"

Calliope opens her mouth to give her opinion, which was full of critique and things that would not be described as "motivational", so Arthur steps in first, placing his hand on Owain's shoulder.

"And I know no one braver," Owain releases a heavy breath, a grin lifting his face. "Remember, all it takes to kill a man is one well-aimed blow."

Before Owain can respond, Arthur's door opens again. Gwen walks into the room with a friendly smile. She stops in front of the young knight.

"The Lady Morgana asked me to give you this token," Gwen holds out a long, red piece of smooth cloth. "She wishes for you to wear it for luck."

That's a good idea. The young knight will need all the luck he can get for this fight.

Owain grabs the token, "You can thank her, and tell her I shall wear it with pride, but I won't need luck."

With an eye roll and a shake of her head, Calliope turns to Arthur, whispering so that only he can hear.

"I want to state one more time, that this is going to be a shitshow."

♛ ♛ ♛

No one wants to listen to Calliope. Alas, this is the story of her life.

She walks beside Merlin as Arthur leads Owain to the fighting arena. A crowd sits above them and tension hangs in the air as the mysterious knight awaits his opponent--unmoving like a statue.

The blonde isn't sure what else to say to the young knight to save him from his imminent doom. He sees this as an opportunity to prove himself worthy, but how worthy can a man be from the grave?

"Now remember," Arthur says as they come to the edge of the arena. "Find the flow of the fight and try to control it."

As Arthur walks to the middle of the arena with Owain, Calliope leans against a pillar by the entrance of the arena with Gaius and Merlin, watching as the shitshow begins.

Owain faces his opponent as Arthur glances between the two challengers.

"The fight shall be to the knight's rules, and to the death."

After announcing the rules, Arthur joins his father in the audience. Owain places his helmet on his head, gripping his sword and shield and taking his fighting stance. The knight across from him swings his blade around a few times as the low beating of drums echo through the dense air.

"Let battle commence."

Arthur is barely able to get out his sentence before the black knight brings his sword down on Owain. His shield blocks his merciless attacker, but he is put on defense, not able to get in a good swing of his own.

The black knight slices his blade across Owain's arm, nearly causing him to drop his sword and gasps ring out through the crowd, but Owain quickly recovers.

He's finally able to start swinging his blade. The sound of metal colliding rings out through the air, but the black knight lands a hard kick right to Owain's stomach and brings bringing his sword down. Owain rolls over. He jumps up and dodges each swift attack.

He holds his shield up, forced down to one knee as the black knight tries to cut him down.

"One well-aimed blow!" Calliope hears Arthur call out.

And then, Owain is able to shove his sword into the black knight's side.

"Yes!" Merlin exclaims.

But, the black knight does not fall over--he doesn't even stumble. He stands just as strong as before.

Merlin and Calliope share a look of confusion, and then their attention turns back to the fight as the black knight advances on Owain. Each blow is harder and harder against his shield. She can see Owain growing weary.

And then, as he falls to the ground, the black knight knees him right in the chest, causing him to fall to his back. The knight stands over him. He brings his sword up, and it lingers in the air for just a moment, before it's sharp tip is brought down right into Owain's heart.

The crowd gasps in fear and disbelief at Owain's demise. Arthur hangs his head, gripping the wooden posts of the arena as the black night turns to him and Uther.

Without hesitation, he throws his gauntlet down once again, "Who will take up my challenge?"

Arthur is all too eager to be the next contender, but his father stops him.

Another one of the knights jumps the gate, facing the black knight. "I, Sir Pellinor, take up the challenge."

"So be it."

The black knight turns, walking away from the arena and passing Calliope as he walks. Merlin motions to him.

"Should we tend to his wounds?" Gaius looks at him with furrowed eyebrows. "He took a hit."

"Owain didn't land a blow."

Calliope steps forward, "I saw it too, Gaius. He definitely did; right to his side."

Merlin nods, "He should be dead."

"Perhaps he already is."

♛ ♛ ♛

hello everyone! i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! as always, remember to vote and comment <3 :)