Arthur Pendragon—a name that Stan and his siblings knew well. They had first heard it through Earth's old stories, but their real understanding came from the Pendragon Book of Knowledge.
According to the book, Arthur was a legendary Pendragon who had achieved great deeds. He was one of the main reasons why humans on Earth were still alive—or at least still free to live as they chose.
But there was a mystery. Unlike other Pendragons, Arthur's life was never fully recorded in the book. What little they knew about him came from stories passed down through the next generations of Pendragons. That was all.
Until now.
Recently, Stan and his brothers had uncovered something new. After meeting Qudsiyah, the unicorn, and Zarathul, the pegasus, they had learned vital information that brought them to this exact moment.
What they never expected was to find the legendary Arthur Pendragon himself—along with the item they were searching for.
The revelation hit them hard. Arthur wasn't just someone from ancient tales. He was connected to the sword they sought, the very one that had guided them here. The voice from the sword was unmistakable. There was no doubt in their minds.
Arthur Pendragon was alive—or at least, alive within the sword.
The feeling of the bloodline energy alone was enough to convince them—something was alive in the sword.
After the sword introduced itself as Arthur, everything began to make sense. The strange sensation they felt now had a reason.
"Arthur Pendragon! Presumed to be dead, but it turns out he's just stuck in a sword," Caspian blurted out, unable to contain his shock.
"Stuck? I guess you're right. I am stuck—but it's not like I want to get out," the voice replied, calm yet firm.
Hearing the voice respond so directly caught them off guard, but it also began to ease their tension. The reality of the situation was still incredible, but they were starting to adjust to it.
Eventually, everyone seemed to settle down. Elder Rooney stepped forward, ready to speak, his expression serious.
But before he could say a word, Arthur spoke again, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Now tell me... what exactly were you planning to do with the sword? What made you so willing to go against the universe's will?"
"We need your help," Elder Rooney said, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of responsibility.
"Over the centuries, our family has fallen, and we need power," he continued, his words measured and deliberate.
"Fallen?" Arthur's voice from the sword was sharp, almost mocking. "I already knew that the moment you six walked into this museum with those weak traces of dragon energy inside you."
Arthur's words stung, but he wasn't done. "But I'm curious—why do you need power? Why can't you grow it yourself? Is the God of Death meddling again?"
Arthur's questions came one after another, not giving Elder Rooney much room to respond.
Taking a deep breath, Elder Rooney steadied himself. He knew Arthur needed the full picture. Carefully, he began explaining the situation. He described the challenges their family faced, the restrictions imposed upon them, and the obstacles that had grown over generations.
Arthur remained silent throughout the explanation. When Elder Rooney finally finished, Arthur's laughter erupted, filling the room.
"Who would've thought? Of all the things troubling a generation of ten Pendragons, it's the damn demi-gods," Arthur laughed, the sound echoing with both amusement and disdain.
"Not the God of Death. Not even actual gods. Not a divine slayer. Demi-gods. A group of humans who probably don't even deserve the title." Arthur's voice shifted suddenly, the amusement fading into a cold, serious tone. "That's a disgrace to the Pendragon name."
"Ten Pendragons?" Peter asked, glancing back at the others to make sure there wasn't someone else they had overlooked.
Arthur chuckled from within the sword. "Hah… you think I don't know about the other Pendragons who aren't here? Their energy is weaker than yours, which means they're probably just kids or young adults."
"Yes… you're right," Caspian replied, nodding slowly. "But there are only three more of us, which makes nine—not ten."
Arthur's ability to sense other Pendragons, even those far away, left them amazed. But clearly, Arthur had miscounted.
Arthur fell silent for a moment, as if considering his next words. Then, his voice returned, calm yet cutting.
"Oh… I suppose I counted myself in," he said, almost amused. "But even without me, it's still disappointing to have nine active Pendragons alive… and all of them running from demi-gods."
His words hung in the air, a mix of criticism and challenge.
"In my time," Arthur continued, his tone growing sharper, "I went from planet to planet, fighting and killing gods—not running from demi-gods. And mind you, I was the only Pendragon blood alive back then. Yet, I was still strong enough to stand my ground."
Peter stepped forward, his voice steady as he addressed Arthur's harsh judgment. "That's exactly why we need this power. We aren't planning to hide forever. We just needed time to gather our strength, and that's why we're here," Peter said firmly.
"Unfortunately, I can't… you can't take the sword," Arthur said firmly. "Don't be stubborn. If you take the sword, you might die immediately—or worse, it could lead to you losing whatever fight you're planning to fight," he warned, his voice heavy with certainty.
"Why?" Peter asked, clenching his fists, his unwillingness clear in his eyes.
"You'll all be going against the universe's will," Arthur explained. "You might not have noticed, but the closer you get to this sword, the more I can feel something from it reaching out toward you."
Arthur paused for a moment, his tone growing more thoughtful. "I don't know exactly what this is. It might be the power within me trying to connect with you, but the universe is rejecting it. That means if you take me today, it could stop something important from happening tomorrow. Maybe one day I'll be needed—but that day isn't today."
Stan stepped forward, his face tight with frustration. "Then what do you advise us to do?" he asked, his voice low but steady.
Arthur's tone grew sharp, filled with the authority of someone who had fought countless battles. "You've only lost your Qi core, not your life. You still have your mana core, and you still carry your bloodline's power. You can get stronger. You're dragons—we're all dragons—and we are not meant to fear anything in this world."
Caspian scoffed, his patience clearly wearing thin. "That's not a solution—that's just advice. And we've already heard the same thing from two other beings," he said, his words biting but honest.
"I've been in a situation like this before," Arthur began, his voice steady but reflective. "I sought help from every angle—from the past Pendragons to the future Pendragons. They all told me the same thing: keep pushing." He paused, letting his words sink in.
"What motivated me the most, though, was what I saw when I looked into the future," Arthur continued. "I saw myself—different, stronger, in a new body. But that vision gave me hope."
Arthur's tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "I can't see the future now, but I know one thing: if the universe doesn't want you to take this sword today, it means another Pendragon might need it one day. And for another Pendragon to be born, you all must win this fight."
Arthur paused again, his voice growing sharper. "Now, is that all you have to say? Because I'm starting to get tired of all this talking—speaking with the weakest active Pendragons," he said, his words cutting through the air like a blade.
"Wait a minute… I have a question," Caspian interrupted, stepping forward.
Arthur's energy seemed to shift, his attention now focused on Caspian.
"I wanted to ask about the Pendragon Book," Caspian began. "It holds knowledge of the past, but everything in it seems futuristic—like inventions and concepts that haven't even been created yet. It makes me wonder… what was life like in your time? If humans were once so advanced in technology, why the downgrade?"
The others exchanged puzzled looks. They didn't see how this question could contribute to their current situation, but they stayed quiet, waiting for Arthur's response.
"In my time, technology was decent," Arthur replied after a moment. "I haven't seen what today's technology looks like, so I can't compare it to my time. But judging by your clothes," he said with a faint hint of amusement, "it seems your current era might be more advanced."
Arthur's tone grew somber as he continued. "I know what you're getting at, and yes, you're right. Humans were once highly advanced in technology. But an event in the past… reset everything," he said, his words heavy with the weight of untold history.