Noah was living in legend as King Arthur, and under the mentorship of Merlin, he had flawlessly pulled the sword from the stone, finally claiming Excalibur.
He held it aloft and as the golden blade caught the light above, a small reflection of his thoughts drifted to Ren.
How is he doing?
What myth did he choose?
Is he dead?
Noah was aware of the answer deep down. Ren didn't die easily... Ren was the type of man that would claw his way to achieve a goal, no matter what it cost.
Even with these lingering thoughts, he rode through the forest with his most trusted knight, Lancelot, toward the cave of the evil presence preying on young women.
Noah broke the silence. "So, Lancelot... which woman do you like the most?"
Lancelot did not answer him immediately and when he finally spoke, his tone had a cold calmness, an unexpected firmness. "I do not lust after women. Love and lust... are the same to me."
Noah sighed. "I understand and we are different on love, but you have that wrong."
Lancelot looked at him coldly while asserting, "Arthur, you are a king now. Act like one. This kingdom needs a leader who will guide it toward prosperity."
"You are right." Noah smiled weakly. "Maybe I need to start being serious."
Soon they could make out the cave they had circled for so long, and with each step toward it they felt the heaviness of the entrance in the air.
A suffocating, vile energy sat close to their skin—until the Excalibur started to glimmer and shine softly with a faint golden color. The weight and heaviness of the world fell away, much like sunlit mist.
Lancelot tilted his head towards the glowing weapon. "Arthur... I have always heard the legend of Excalibur's power, but why is it glowing? You have not even drawn it yet."
"Merlin," Noah answered.
Lancelot grimaced. "That idiot mage..."
"Noah chuckled. "Relax. Apparently, Excalibur repels negative forces. Or so, Merlin told me."
They moved forward and stopped in their tracks.
Dismembered limbs were spread everywhere as if the bodies had been unceremoniously gutted and dumped like garbage. The smell of blood permeated the entire chamber.
Lancelot stepped ahead and his voice rang in the cave, "Show yourself spirit!" He called. "I know you're here!"
He heard a rustle in return. As fast as possible, Lancelot took out his sword; he saw a flash of movement then clang as bone and steel script contacted. The creature of blackness stood there starkly visible, gaunt and grotesque.
It gripped large, jagged bones as though they were weapons.
Lancelot pats "Remove yourself, God of the dead! Why do you do this?"
It laughed in reply, sounding so hollow and so grating, I can't express the horror of it. "Why do I do it? Because I can. Because I will."
Bones shot into the air, swirling with murderous intent. Arthur moved forward, angry flames in his eyes. "I will end you. For the village you have tormented—for the lives that you have taken."
The storm of bones crashed down upon them. Every crashing blow exploded with deadly force and tossed Noah and Lancelot against the wall of the cave. Noah groaned and pushed himself off the floor, wrestling back onto his feet.
"I will use Excalibur," he said quietly to himself, gripping the hilt tightly.
Noah pulled Excalibur, and the blade that had once been illuminated with a light that was only bright came back to life even brighter than before. "Excalibur...give me your might."
The ethereal being lunged for Noah, but Lancelot was there to intercept with a savage swing. "Arthur! Now!"
Noah swung the sword with as much force as he could muster and the space filled with his voice, "I summon the power of justice against you, vile spirit!"
A flash of brightness ignited the cavern. The force of the explosion rattled the mountain to its core.
Once the dust settled, the victorious look on Noah's face faded away. He fell to his knees, shaking uncontrollably.
Lancelot rushed to his side. "Arthur, what—" He stopped.
Half the mountain was gone. And littered over the mountain, were the severed heads of young women.
Noah's voice sounded hollow as he neared me. "He killed those womens… but we can not be able to save them."
He knelt down to the fallen, throwing his head down in sadness. "I'm sorry," he muttered quietly.
We all left in silence. When they made it back to the village, grief awaited us at their gates. A woman burst through the crowd, desperation washing over her. "Where is my daughter? Please—tell me she's alive! She's my only child!"
Noah could not answer. Lancelot stepped forward and spoke, each word falling heavy. "She's gone. They're all gone. Every woman taken by that monster… is dead."
As the woman collapsed in sobs, Noah looked for strength at the sky. If Ren's plan works… if he wins his war… I'll have to be strong enough to protect everyone. Even… her.
In a world where magic didn't exist, and far away underneath, a man wearing black stood in a lowly lit room talking behind the backs of soldiers with rifles.
One door creaked open, and another man walked inside.
"Where is the doctor?" Everyone said tapping their fingers against the table.
Suddenly the door opens once more, and a man strolled into the room.
"Oh, there's the doctor." Someone said. "We have been waiting on you...Doctor Oppenheimer."
The man adjusted the glasses, and his voice was calm but also chilling. "Yes, I am here. Now lets start PROJECT MANHATTAN."