A Nascent Kaleidoscope.

Chapter 82: Interlude 3

Arthur Pendragon (Hero Faction) POV.

"I'm glad everyone could make time to show up." Cao Cao commented, sweeping his gaze around the room. His smile grated on my nerves these days. "Before we begin, any new business anyone wants to bring up?"

There were a few grunts and head shakes, nobody seemed to want to say anything. Frankly, nobody seemed to want to even be here.

I certainly did not.

"Okay, moving on." Cao Cao paced a bit, a clipboard held in his hand. "Hercules, how did your recruitment go?"

"He was a weakling." The big oaf of a man leaned back and spat the words out, not even caring at the looks he was receiving.

"So, we can take it you failed?" Georg spoke up, he had been rather quiet recently, but I hadn't cared enough to ask.

"What's that, you brat?" Hercules sneered. "Didn't' you fuck up your little 'recruitment'?"

Georg pushed his glasses up. "My one to your dozens. How many of them even survive your encounters?"

"Not my fault none of them can match me." He already looked bored with the whole argument. "If they die so easily, then they weren't good enough to join us."

Yes, quite the logic.

A faction that goes out recruiting under the guise of 'protecting' humanity and my fellow members seem content to kill potential recruits, other humans, on a whim. How many of them simply didn't want a life of conflict? Or how many were too early into their 'career's, their marital paths, and weren't on the level of someone who 'inherited' the spirit of Hercules many years ago.

It's not like everyone was given such a high starting point that this big idiot did. The only thing larger than his idiocy is his ego, which never ceases to blind him to the obvious facts.

"It's pretty much expected for Hercules to fail, but how did you not even manage to capture the half devil, Georg?" The inheritor of Jean D Arc's will lightly spoke. Her vacant expression could be mistaken for aloofness, but if I unfortunately knew her well enough to know she hit several stereotypes of those with blonde hair.

"What was that, you bitch?" Hercules stood up, baring his fist.

"Hercules." Cao Cao's voice range out.

The big oaf just grumbled and sat back down.

They even knew Hercules's reputation, yet they still send him out on these kinds of missions. I suppose he sometimes gives results....but more often then not, he makes things infinity worse.

"I'm also, curious, Georg." Cao Cao stopped his pacing, glancing over at Georg. "I only saw the end of the meeting when you called for me."

Well, I suppose I am slightly interested now. Was it not just a recruitment? That's all I heard about at the last meeting, not that I cared much but I try to keep abreast of everyone's activities. Then again, it wasn't the first time Cao Cao decided not to inform me of his plans.

I guess I've 'messed up' one too many missions in the past.

Well, I was interested in the swords he used, I didn't recognize them at all and no one else I spoke to either. I did enjoy the discussions taking place online, I even met someone who enjoyed talking about swords and weapons as much as I did, what was his name – Hooded one?

He was very knowledgeable on the subject; I quite enjoyed the talks we had.

A hobby if nothing else.

"He somehow stopped my Dimension Lost. I don't know how, but when I tried to trap him in dimension I created, he took control and shattered it." Georg looked uncharacteristically shaken.

"Some kind of Sacred Gear that interferes with Dimension Lost?" Jeanne asked.

"Possibly, but I consider the notion unlikely." Cao Cao shook his head. "If he had a Sacred Gear, he would have been kept under tighter lock and key by the devils."

Well, that isn't exactly wrong. Though it isn't that right either, while I am no fan of devil society, it isn't quite so easy to brush them all the same color. The Gremorys generally treat theirs well.....and I have no doubt he would have been checked for a Sacred Gear since he was half human. So the only explanation – "Magic." I spoke plainly.

Several eyes turned to me, but I just ignored them with a tired expression.

"Pfft." Herculed rolled his eyes. "Magicians are all squishy. You should have just sent me."

"He was needed alive as a hostage." I Pointed out.

Cao Cao shot me a look.

Yes, you arrogant twat, I can put two and two together.

Did he really think I wouldn't understand that he wanted to get ahold of Lucifer's son to use as leverage? It was distasteful, but I could not deny the opportunity it would bring from a resources standpoint. Was there an easier target to get to the Devil's leader?

Well, there are plans in the works to kidnap his other son, mostly by those 'Old Satan Faction' louts, but I didn't want to be involved with their nonsense.

What's the terms used – Hate boner?

Yeah, they truly have a hate boner for the new devil leaders.

"It's good we have talented Magicians among our numbers." Cao Cao narrowed his eyes. "I'm sure Le Fay would be a big help on this matter."

I didn't react.

I didn't draw Caliburn and cleave him in twain.

The only thing stopping me at this moment was the debt I owed him. He managed to get Le Fay out from under the Pendragon family, for that reason I have continued to along with this nonsense. My honor demanded I repay him, but he also knows that if he tried to use Le Fay as leverage over me, I would not hesitate to cut him down.

And he knowingly straddles the lines I've drawn in the sand.

"She's busy."

"How unfortunate." Cao Cao replied instantaneously, knowing I would dismiss his request.

He knew I would not allow it to happen, he was simply reminding me of my place. Fortunately, i've kept Le Fay mostly in the dark with regards to what we do. She merely thinks we go around protecting humanity....though that brings about its own set of problems.

Regardless, what an arrogant arse.

"Are we going to make another move on the half-devil?" Jeanne asked, seemingly barely paying attention to the matters at hand.

"No, we have other things to worry about for the moment." Cao Cao finally turned away from me and back to Georg. "If you would?"

Georg just nodded, holding his hand out and allowing Dimension Lost to dispense someone onto the floor.

"W-what? Where am I!?" He shakily stood up and looked around. "A-aren't you –" He was cut off as a hand gripped his throat.

"We had an agreement, vermin." Cao Cao said plainly, choking the Youkai. "We would help you with your ritual, you resurrect Tamamo-No-Mae, and she usurps Yasaka's positions over the ley lines, and then we be allowed to use them for our own purpose."

Ah, that's why Connla was still in the infirmary and Perseus is still unconscious.

This isn't the first time Cao Cao moved on Kyoto....why does he want access to the leylines so much? There are other Leylines in the world....but admittedly they are more or less better defended. And if you compare their quality, many of them can't be compared to Kyoto.

The only real reason that the Youkai remains in control of theirs is because of the Shinto pantheon dissuading the heavy hitters.

"You didn't even keep that little fox." Cao Cao shook his head.

I held back a sigh. What was with them and kidnapping children?

"It wasn't our fault!" He blurt out as Cao Cao let up his grip allowing him to fall to the floor. "Someone interfered and she fell into Yomi! All I know is that someone brought her back to Yasaka."

"Who?"

"I don't, he had red hair and didn't look like a Youkai."

"Was it in a ponytail, and was he dressed up?"

"Erm, yes?"

Cao Cao sighed. "It seems he held a grudge."

"Was it Lucfier's bastard?" Georg frowned.

The tone almost made me smile. It seemed that whatever this half devil did, it really left a mark on him.

"Sounds like it." Cao Cao looked annoyed.

"How can you be sure?" I asked innocently.

"He mouthed the words – Khaos Brigade -- to me after blocking my strike."

That made me pause. "He blocked your strike?" Cao Cao wasn't exactly the most martially talented....but his spear was the very definition of over powered. Especially against the likes of a devil, even a half, it should have been a much different outcome.

Apparently he also knew of our 'allies' as well....curious.

"Oh, sounds like he might be able to actually fight back." Hercules punched his palm.

"Wasn't he supposed to only be like, a couple weeks into the supernatural world?" Jeanne sat up straighter. "He's getting pretty popular online." She took out her phone. "There are rumors that his mom is a goddess."

"No, he possessed no divinity." Cao Cao shook his head.

Can the spear of destiny allow its wielders to sense such a thing?

Regardless, this guy is turning out to be rather interesting. Knowledgeable in magics unrecognizable and powerful that are known. A good handle on swordsmanship if those few clips were anything to go by.

I would very much like to cross blades with him.

"So, what's the plan then." Georg asked.

"We still move forward." Cao Cao declared. "We just have to....cut out the middle men." His gaze drifted down to the youkai who didn't dare stand up. With a swift motion, his holy spear pierced through the Youkai and retracted as if nothing happened. "Those cult members can still be useful." He pondered. "I guess we can do the same thing we did before, grab the girl again, force her mom to cooperate." He finally shrugged.

As much as I didn't want to admit it, that was probably the best choice. Not one I would ever take....but it was the path of least resistance. To assault Yasaka in her home would be foolhardy, even if her daughter would be under much tighter guard, her mother can't be near her forever. If Cao Cao mobilized all of us, it wouldn't be very hard to capture her without Yasaka catching wind in time.

And there was no way she would fight us with her daughter behind held.

Once again I feel my honor getting stained.

Can I even call myself a knight after all of this?

I can't help but think of my sister as times like these, and my resolve reaffirms itself.

If I must walk into the depts of hell to preserve her smile, then hell I shall go.

***

Just a little interlude showing some thoughts and actions from the Hero faction. I also changed motivations slightly. I hate how the author seemed to gloss over the pendragon clan. The fact that the church didn't possess Excalibur Ruler and Caliburn, yet knew they were in the hands of the pendragon family, does that not speak of their strength? Who knows what other things they have stored away and the church didn't even go poking around.

On a side note, i'll probably be taking this weekend off as a break. Been uploading a chapter nearly every day for like three months now, jsut want a few days to relax. Also, I started plans for the next interlude, it seems people enjoy those. It's just going to be a nice and wholesome gremory family dinner :).

Anyways, if you want to read 5 chapters ahead or support me, visit my Pat.reon.com/Astoryforone.contemporary romance