Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

***

The Star Anchor sits at the border between Paradise and the Fairy Kingdom, serving as the only passage connecting the two worlds. It is cleverly hidden directly beneath a colossal dragon skeleton in the Lake Land—this seemingly conspicuous location has ironically guarded Paradise's secrets for millennia.

Under Pique's skillful helm, the carriage sped along a little-known path. Three hours later, a bizarre scene unfolded before their eyes. It resembled a graveyard of colossal beasts: ribs, forty-nine meters high, lay scattered in the lake like towering trees, making the humans standing below appear as tiny as ants. A complete dragon skull lay askew in the soil, its hollow eye sockets, though weathered by time, still sending chills down one's spine.

Most strangely, the lake water touched by the skeletons turned into thick black mud, emitting a faint stench, while the unpolluted waters remained crystal clear, and fish could even be seen playing in them.

"Those are the remains of Albion, the last dragon," Liliana explained softly, a hint of awe in her eyes. "Even the records of the Inner Sea are vague about its origins. But that black mud is dangerous; it's best not to touch it."

Betty suddenly noticed a small figure moving in the black mud—a white-haired girl with dragon horns was peeking from behind the skeleton. She was covered in mud, and her long silver hair clung to her cheeks. When she realized she had been discovered, she immediately shrank back into the shadow of the skeleton in embarrassment.

'Betty, it's time to go!' Pique's call made her look away, but that mysterious figure was already imprinted in her mind.

***

As they crossed the last stretch of clean water, the sight before them took all three of them's breath away.

Even though it was late at night outside, it was as bright as day here. The pink sky was so pure and flawless, even more serene and dreamlike than the sky of the Fairy Kingdom. Colorful flowers swayed and shone on the grass, each petal radiating a soft glow. An ancient stone bridge spanned this fairyland, and in its center stood a golden, gleaming holy spear, its tip pointing towards the sky, as if guarding the balance between the two worlds.

'Great, that way we can—'

Before Liliana could finish speaking, a rough, hoarse voice came from the other side of the bridge:

'Hey, damn woman, you think we can't find you just because you escaped here?'

The mercenary captain sat arrogantly on the bridge railing, his legs swinging casually. Beside him stood a dozen fully armed men, each with a bloodthirsty smile. Pick and Betty immediately shielded Liliana in between, Betty's hand already stealthily reaching for the dagger hidden at her waist.

The captain leaped off the bridge railing, his longsword slicing screech against the stone wall. "You're not getting away this time. As for this shiny thing—" he grinned maliciously at the Holy Lance, "it's mine now!"

Just as the two sides were at a stalemate—

Boom!

The entire stone bridge suddenly shook violently, and everyone was thrown about. The Holy Lance fell to the ground amidst the swaying, rolling several times on the bridge surface before coming to a stop.

"What's going on?" a mercenary shouted in panic, instinctively gripping the bridge railing.

A second wave of tremors followed, this time hurling everyone into the air. The beautiful sea of ​​flowers beneath the bridge suddenly split open, revealing a bottomless, dark abyss. Cracks spread rapidly across the bridge surface like a spiderweb, sending stone chips flying everywhere.

"It's the park's protective mechanism!" Liliana gripped the bridge railing, her voice trembling with tension. "These filthy beings have triggered self-destruction! We must obtain the Holy Lance!"

As she said, paradise cannot tolerate any defilement. The blood and malice stained the mercenaries activated the self-defense system, and the entire bridge is crumbling.

'Snap!'

The right side of the bridge collapsed first, and the mercenaries standing on it fell into the abyss before they even had time to scream. The captain reacted quickly, grabbing onto a protruding stone slab before falling. He looked up and stared intently at Liliana, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Seeing the crack about to spread to where the Holy Lance was, Piqué rushed forward without hesitation. He struggled to lift the heavy Holy Lance, but his small, halfling-like frame made it difficult for him to move. With each step, the bridge groaned under his feet, unable to bear the weight.

"Run!" Betty shouted anxiously, her voice already trembling with tears.

The crack drew ever closer, and with his last ounce of strength, Piqué hurled the Holy Lance: 'Liliana, catch!'

'Pique! No!'

Just as the lance left his hand, a protruding rock pierced his foot, instantly staining the bridge surface red with blood. Betty wanted to rush to his aid, but Pique sternly stopped her:

'Don't come any closer! Live on with my share... Farewell...'

'Boom—!'

With a deafening roar, the bridge shattered completely. The halfling, Piccolo, with a relieved smile, plummeted into the abyss along with the rubble. The Holy Lance traced a golden arc through the air before landing steadily in Liliana's trembling hand.

The bridge of the Star Anchor collapsed completely amidst a deafening roar. Liliana knelt on the edge of the broken bridge, watching helplessly as Piqué's figure was swallowed by the abyss, her fingertips reaching futilely into the void, grasping nothing.

The Holy Lance lying on the ground emitted a warm golden light, illuminating her tear-streaked face. Should she weep? Or should she remain silent? But after witnessing Sofia's tragic death and Pique's fall to his death while trying to save her, her heart was numb with pain. Why would these kind people, these complete strangers, pay the ultimate price for a creature called a 'Paradise Fairy'?

Liliana took a deep breath and gently embraced the sobbing Betty. When she looked up again, the confusion in her eyes had been replaced by a resolute light. The moment she reached out and grasped the Holy Lance, the spear burst forth with dazzling light, ancient runes danced like fireflies, and finally transformed into a beam of white light that entered her left hand, leaving an exquisite golden emblem on her wrist.

She could clearly feel the power of the Holy Lance flowing through her blood.

“Let’s go.” She helped Betty up, her voice calm yet powerful. “Sophia and Pike paved the way for me with their lives; I cannot betray them. I will change this corrupt fairy kingdom.”

-

In the dark, secret chamber, the crystal ball reflected Liliana's resolute departing figure.

The strategist of the royal clan slowly removed his glasses, revealing a pair of dark blue eyes—deep within those pupils flickered a ghostly light that did not belong to this world. He casually tossed the glasses aside, and purple-black energy ripples began to emanate from his body.

'A bunch of useless trash…' His voice turned low and distorted, 'I was going to move on with the plan immediately, but now that she's got the Holy Lance…'

A purplish-black mist completely enveloped him, dissolving and reforming the strategist's image within it. When the mist dissipated, a completely different figure stood before him: a dark blue and black suit draped his slender frame, his hands and feet transformed into sharp beast claws, and a cold-blooded animal's tail swayed gently behind him. This was his true face—a demon lurking beneath a facade.

Even more chilling are the countless phantoms that flashed through his mind when he transformed: the peddler who sold information to the Royal Clan, the merchant who provided special materials to the Rain Clan, and even the soldier who acted strangely during the search—all of them were roles he had carefully played.

'Liliana…' A cruel smile curved the devil's lips. 'I'll let you have a few more days of peace. Anyway, all the troublemakers have been dealt with.'

Britannian Outlaws - Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

Fate often plays cruel jokes unexpectedly. What may initially seem like harmless teasing can quickly escalate into a deadly crisis when you least expect it.

At this moment, the fairy knight Bedivere is facing such a cruel 'joke'.

'Why...Diana?' Kelby's voice trembled with shock. 'Why did you...with Mephisto...?'

Diana toyed with the dagger in her hand, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Oh? You mean him?" She strolled forward slowly. "My dear Kelby, you're easier to fool than a three-year-old. You really think I'd willingly be your lackey?"

A chill ran down Kelby's spine.

'What can I gain by staying by the side of a piece of trash like you?' Diana's voice was as sweet as poison. 'You let that woman escape twice, and were sealed away twice by that witch Morgan... Do you think I still believe in your abilities?'

She suddenly leaned closer, her breath like the forked tongue of a viper: 'Don't forget, your lovely son is still in our hands—'

'you--!!!'

Her reason snapped instantly. Kelby conjured a torrent of water in his hand, transforming it into a gleaming blade aimed straight at her former best friend. But just as the blade was about to touch Diana's throat, the water suddenly froze into ice, then shattered into dust with a piercing cracking sound.

The familiar ice magic made Kelby freeze: 'This is... the head maid's power?! How could you...?'

"Surprised?" Diana toyed with the ice crystals swirling around her fingertips. "After all... Mr. Mephisto has given me quite a few 'gifts.'" She chuckled. "I'm just a bloodthirsty mortal, without the innate power of you monsters. So I had to ask Mr. Mephisto and Beryl... to borrow your power."

Before she finished speaking, five capsules were tossed into the air from between her fingers. The capsules exploded mid-air, transforming into five transparent, humanoid figures of light and shadow. As the figures solidified, Kelby gasped—they were clearly replicas of Morgan's five goblin Knights of the Round Table, the only thing missing was her own image. Although these replicas possessed far less magic than the originals, it was enough to prove that Diana had stolen the power of the Knights of the Round Table.

"Isn't it spectacular?" A chuckled voice came from the doorway. A man in a dragon-patterned robe walked in, squinting as he admired Kelby's shocked expression: "This is our magical craftsmanship, a masterpiece comparable to the Hand of God. I originally wanted to replicate your power, but alas..." He looked her over disdainfully, "Useless trash like you has absolutely no value."

Kelby clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

'Don't you understand, Kelby?' The man's deep laughter echoed in the room. 'We're just taking back what's rightfully ours—hahahaha—'

Gloucester, an hour ago.

This commercial metropolis remained immersed in its unique prosperity and hustle and bustle, with shops lining the streets and crowds thronging under a pink sky. However, beneath this lively facade, a secret meeting was quietly taking place inside a villa.

Heavy curtains completely blocked out all the windows, forcing the interior to rely on magical lamps for lighting even during the day. On the luxurious leather sofas, several distinguished guests sat, each lost in their own thoughts: Aurora of the Wind Clan sat elegantly, Nocnarria of the Mirror Clan toyed with her long pink hair, Coral of the Winged Clan gently fluttered her wings, while Diana crossed her legs listlessly.

Clad in a dragon-patterned robe, Sekel Mephistopheles surveyed the crowd, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed: 'Where is Lipkaner? Absent from such an important occasion, yet he dares to call himself the leader of the anti-Queen movement?'

'There's no need to wait for him.' Aurora gently stroked her feather fan. 'Mephistopheles, we've gathered here today for a clear purpose—it's time to end that woman's reign.'

Sekel Mephistopheles, the current head of the most mysterious Mephistopheles family in the Fairy Kingdom, possesses mixed human and fairy blood. Numb to power and wealth, his true purpose in participating in this conspiracy is to glimpse the true face of the legendary 'god'. At this moment, he is closely monitoring Morgan's every move by manipulating the fairy knight Bedivere as a pawn.

“That being said,” Sekel said slowly, “that woman has just repelled Kornunos’s clone in Norwich, and her reputation is at its peak. If we start a conflict now, we'll only be the ones who suffer.”

Nocnarria chuckled, tossing her long hair. "Couldn't we approach it from another angle? That prophetic child, Caster, has actually teamed up with a foreign magician; that saves us the trouble of monitoring him."

"Oh?" Aurora raised an eyebrow. "You want to take advantage of your childhood friendship?"

“Exactly.” A calculating glint flashed in Nocnarria’s eyes. “That child is innocent and naive, completely unsuspecting of the current fairy kingdom. Such a perfect pawn is exactly what we need.”

Seckel cautioned, "Don't forget she has a foreign magician and a goblin knight of the round table with her. Even Gareth, the one known as the 'Head Maid,' is no ordinary person."

“I have my own way.” Nocnarria shook her head confidently. “With Caster as our trump card, dealing with those foreigners is a piece of cake. The key now is—”

Aurora continued, "The rebels don't have a problem with manpower, but they need the right opportunity. I wonder if Vortigern is willing to help."

'Vortigern?' Sekel frowned slightly. 'Isn't he busy with his own plans right now?'

“You can rest assured about that,” Aurora said with a meaningful smile. “His goals are aligned with ours. After all, some people have done unnecessary things, making it difficult for Vortigern to remain uninvolved.”

Just as the group was plotting, Diana yawned impatiently: 'You can plot whatever you want, I just want some fun. Coral, where's the little boy?'

"Right here." Coral stepped aside, revealing a figure huddled in a corner behind him.

He was a ragged, blond boy, filthy from long-term neglect. Abuse and torture had left him emaciated, and when Corral turned around, he shrank back in fear, as if bracing himself for yet another round of violence.

Diana gave a cruel smile: 'I never imagined Kelby had a son like this. When I first met her, you'd never guess she was a mother.' She suddenly looked at Coral meaningfully, 'Could it be...?'

“That’s right.” Coral fluttered her pink wings. “As a mother, she’ll do anything for her child. Lady Aurora and I only had her clean up some troublesome dregs. Seeing those people supporting that woman is disgusting.”

Diana roughly grabbed the boy's hair, scrutinized his filthy face, and then slammed him to the ground. Blood seeped from the boy's forehead from the impact, but he neither cried out nor resisted—the long-term torture had long since robbed him of all will to resist, leaving only numb despair in his eyes.

'It's time to let that fool know the truth,' Aurora said coldly.

Diana smiled happily: 'I've been waiting for you to say that—'

-

Kelby stumbled out of the villa, angrily kicking away empty bottles and debris from the roadside. 'Damn it! Why! Why make an innocent child suffer like this! I just wanted to save him!'

Her angry outburst came to an abrupt halt—three familiar figures blocked her path on the street ahead.

"Finally found you, you bastard!" Fairy knight Mordred crossed his arms, his eyes burning with rage.

"By order of His Majesty, I have brought you to justice!" The fairy knight Gawain's greatsword was already drawn.

"You are no longer a knight, and His Majesty has granted us permission to use force." The fairy knight Lancelot pointed his spear directly at Kelby. "Let's see what tricks you have up your sleeve this time!"

If only all things in the world could live together simply, without having to kill each other for profit... Kelby retreated, unleashing a torrent of water in an attempt to slow his pursuers. The splashing water rippled through the streets of Gloucester, playing a symphony of despair.

However, these attacks were ineffective against Mordred. The air around her heated up dramatically, and all the water that came near instantly vaporized, turning into white mist and dissipating.

"Still trying to resist?" Mordred sneered. "You know very well that your tricks won't work on me!"

Kelby continued his futile attack, his voice hoarse: 'I won't go back with you! Sylph—you have no idea what I've been through! My pain, my regret, how much do you know?!'

Mordred almost laughed out loud. This executioner with blood on her hands dared to talk about pain and regret? She said no more, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and the air around her suddenly accelerated its rotation. Sharp wind blades hissed in the air, instantly shredding the falling leaves into fragments.

'Hurricane Cut!'

'Cough—!'

A grid of wind blades swept across Kelby's body, spurting blood like fireworks. Her armor was torn apart like paper, and her entire body was instantly covered with deep, bone-revealing wounds. She staggered to her knees, blood pooling beneath her.

'As expected... you never show mercy...' Kelby wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stared intently at Mordred as he approached.