Hellish Affairs

What exactly was hell? It was a question whose answer kept changing.

In traditional Celtic culture, there were only two realms: Fairyland and the mortal world. One part of Fairyland leaned toward darkness and death, a world without light; the other was filled with light, with feasts and hunts that never ended.

But after Christianity spread into Western Europe, Fairyland was artificially divided into two: "heaven" and "hell." The Celtic world thus became three parts.

"But there is no clear boundary between heaven and hell. We simply forced names upon them."

Merlin's wand touched the ground, and a complex model of the world appeared on its surface.

"To make it easier for you to understand, we call those worlds of darkness and death hell."

"Then why did Sister Morgan say that once someone goes to hell, they can never return?"

Merlin shook his head. "Because there is no light in hell. All souls within it blindly slaughter one another."

"Souls that fall into hell are usually people guilty of monstrous crimes, or cruel killers. After being defeated several times in their soul state, their hatred will be cleansed away, allowing them to enter reincarnation once more."

"Powerful knights or Druids, however, remain in Fairyland after death and no longer reincarnate. Once they fall into hell, they will fight forever and never find a way out again."

"You, who were reborn, and Mordred both possess powerful souls. So if you go to hell in search of Mordred, you will fall into it as well."

Kano seemed to grasp the key point. "If I go to hell to look for Mordred, I'll be trapped there."

"Then can we make him come find me?"

Merlin nodded. "That's right. We can use a certain method to make Mordred walk out of hell on his own and fight you."

"But what exactly should I do?"

In response to Kano's question, Merlin took out a small bottle containing a drop of crimson blood.

"This is King Arthur's blood. Apply it to your sword now."

Kano summoned his oak sword and, as instructed, smeared Arthur's blood along its spine. The blood was immediately absorbed by the oak sword, leaving faint dark-red patterns branded across the blade.

"What you need to do is travel through various secret realms and use this sword to defeat the lingering grudges left behind by famous warriors." Merlin made a gathering gesture. "Those grudges will collect upon your sword."

"So when I hold a sword stained with King Arthur's blood and filled with grudges, Mordred will appear before me?"

Kano knew that Mordred's sword had been the Clarent Sword, likewise forged by the Lady of the Lake.

During the Battle of the Sword Fence, Mordred had dealt King Arthur a fatal wound with the Clarent Sword. That blade had been stained with King Arthur's blood.

In the end, the sword had been left where he died, and no one knew where it had been lost since.

"Perhaps... I can only say perhaps." Merlin stroked his long beard. "Mordred, with only instinct remaining, will madly seek out his weapon and try to seize this sword."

"Because it is not only his weapon, but also proof of his status as heir to the kingdom. With such deep obsession, he will not be able to ignore it."

Kano nodded, understanding Merlin's plan. After considering it, he said, "Like a game? First, beat small monsters to level up, then fight Mordred at the end?"

Merlin was momentarily stunned by the comparison, then nodded. "It is somewhat similar to chess."

What Kano meant was the cannon fodder and final boss in video games, something Merlin naturally could not understand.

As for where to find the lingering grudges of crazed warriors, that was not a problem.

Too many brutal battles had taken place on this land. Not to mention the duels between knights in King Arthur's era, the great war between Ulster and Connacht, or the internal strife and battles of the Fianna Knights—every one of them had left corpses strewn across the land and blood flowing like rivers.

Even if their souls had already entered Fairyland, the grudges from those battles still remained on the battlefields.

"I suggest you wait until next year's holiday before setting out on your travels. After all, being a Druid is your true profession." Merlin did not forget to remind Kano of his foundation.

"Then can I use magic against Mordred or the grudges of those warriors?"

"Powerful knights can directly deflect spells. By the time an ordinary wizard finishes chanting, a knight of the same level may already have rushed right in front of them."

"But your situation is rather special. You can command plants directly without incantations, which will give you some advantages in knightly combat." Merlin smiled as he stroked his beard.

"And Mordred's situation is even more special. At your rate of growth, you will probably learn the reason next year."

Kano nodded. It seemed he could only reason with them using plants, guns, and swords.

"Does that mean wizards are inferior to knights?"

"Of course not. When wizards are protected at the center of an army formation, they can cast spells to their heart's content. That is how we maximize our abilities."

"And wizards possess far more varied abilities than knights. Knights are pure killing machines."

"Of course, once you reach Dumbledore's level, it no longer matters whether you are a knight or a wizard."

Merlin was fairly satisfied with Kano's rate of growth. Master and disciple spoke beneath the moonlight for a long while, until the moon stood high overhead and the ritual's effects were about to fade. Only then did they bid each other farewell.

"Teacher, do you think that after I defeat Mordred, I can bring him back to Fairyland?"

Merlin shook his head solemnly. "I don't know either. Morgan and I found this information together. She was injured because of it, which is why I came to see you today."

Kano secretly resolved that he would find a way to bring Mordred out of hell.

As for Mordred's own opinion, that was not important. He had already been sunk in hell for over a thousand years. Whatever resentment he had should have been let go by now.

Even Merlin and Morgan had reconciled. What could possibly be impossible?

Kano jolted awake in a hammock woven from oak branches. His soul returned from the gap between the two realms, and his body was covered in nighttime dew.

The oak robe on his body instantly became dry. Kano put on his school robes and rose to his feet, while the hammock beneath him shrank back into the tree.

The school gates opened silently. Kano knew that Dumbledore had left the gate open for him.

When he returned to the Gryffindor common room, everyone was continuing the Halloween festivities. Harry, Ron, and Granger sat facing one another in silence.

"Kano, you have no idea what just happened!" Harry sprang to his feet excitedly, while Ron chimed in from the side.

"Miss Granger, the one who always follows the school rules, actually lied to a professor to protect us."

Of course Kano knew what had happened. The three children had worked together to knock out a troll, reshaping their impressions of one another and forging an unbreakable friendship.

They eagerly shared the story with Kano, then curiously asked where he had gone just now.

"I merely went out for a walk during Halloween. This holiday has special meaning to me."

After casually dismissing the children, Kano lay in bed and began considering where he should travel during the holiday.

Should he visit Lancelot's Joyous Fortress? The former site of Camelot's knights' tournament? Or the place where Cú Chulainn carried out the Six Circles Massacre?

That seemed a little too aggressive. If he ran into Lancelot, the dead and humiliated Lamorak, or Cú Chulainn in his crazed state, even three Kanos tied together would not be enough for them to kill.

He should find a few ancient battlefields to test his skills first. With that thought, Kano slowly drifted off to sleep.