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[DxD:The fake X fate] #46
🕑 Added 2025-05-13 01:57:40 +0000 UTCShirou blinked, shocked by the almost reverent tone with which the Fallen Star of God praised the Sword of Promised Victory, a stark contrast to the smug mockery he had displayed thus far. his expression distant, as if he were recalling some distant memory.
"The reason Arthur retains the title as the greatest Holy Sword Wielder is due to the fact he was able to wield two Holy Swords." Kokabiel continued "That being said, as powerful as he was, he was still mortal, and like all mortals he made mistakes, mistakes which lead to his death and Caliburn's destruction."
"Of course, being the 'Good Son' that he is, Michael couldn't very well have word getting out that the Holy Sword forged by Father to anoint the 'One-True King of Briton' broke, especially not after the lengths they went to ensure someone with a strong Holy Element succeeded the throne." He scoffed mockingly before spread his arms wide "So while the mortals fought over who should succeed Arthur, Michael took advantage of Excalibur's disappearance to have the Church cover the whole mess up. I'm sure you can fill in the blanks from there."
Indeed they could, though the ramifications of what that meant left many of them weak at the knees, for despite it's size in comparison to the other superpowers, the United Kingdom of Great Britain is was still one of the oldest, most respected nations in the world, and at one point was the centre of an empire that had rivaled that of ancient Rome, which was fitting considering the two now served as the seats of power for the two 'main' branches of Christendom.
However, despite misconceptions, Christianity was not native to the British isles, having only been introduced to the Pagan Britons during the First Century by Roman traders, during which time it started out as little more than a cult. It wasn't until the Sixth Century, 597 AD to be exact, well after the time of Arthur Pendragon, that Christendom became the main religion of what would come to be known as the British Isles.
Indeed, during the Dark Ages following the Romans' departure, during the invasions of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes, there was a very real possibility that Christianity would be stamped out by the other Pagan Cults due to their staunch intolerance for other 'Heathen Gods'. It would have taken a miracle to save them at that point, and sure enough their God provided one in the form of Arthur Pendragon, the only man 'pure' enough to draw the Holy Sword forged to anoint the 'One True King' of Briton.
With Caliburn as proof of his Divine Right to Rule, Arthur had set about uniting the Kingdom under his rule, banding together a group of like-minded Knights to his court, the most prestigious of which, each a legend in and of themselves, were granted seats at his Round Table, becoming beacons of virtue, honor and chivalry whilst bolstering the position of Christendom as the sole faith of the land.
Of course there were always the skeptics, those who insisted the truth of the matter was far less 'romantic' than the stories made them out to be. That may very well have been the case for any other King, but as someone who not only experienced the charisma of the King of Knights first-hand, but whose existence was as close to being a sword as was possible to be whilst remaining human, Shirou felt he knew better than most why so many people had been drawn to Arthur's banner.
Since time immemorial, as a warrior gained fame, so too would the weapons or tools they wielded. Indeed, more often than not bards would affiliate whatever prowess a hero might have in battle with their signature weapon, be it a bow, a spear, or most commonly, a sword. As a sword forged by the 'One True God' to anoint the 'Rightful' King, Caliburn was a symbol not only of Arthur's virtue, but also of Christianity itself.
However, renown of that caliber didn't come without consequences. While it was true that a Hero's weapon could double as a symbol of their power, there was also the possibility that it could develop into a weakness, if the enemy was able to separate it from the hero. After all, what would be the point of marching behind a warrior who allowed his weapon to be stolen or destroyed?
Imagine then the terror that must have gripped the hearts of those present the day Caliburn, the Holy King Sword forged by the One True God, the very symbol of Arthur's right to rule, was broken during a duel where the King broke the rules of Chivalry. It must have taken some fast political maneuvering to keep the public from finding out the truth until Merlin could spirit Arthur off to claim Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake.
Shirou could only imagine the frustration those in the know must have felt, watching their King, the paragon of Christendom, marching into battle wielding a sword other than the one bestowed upon him by their Beloved God. For while Excalibur was undoubtedly the superior of the two Holy Swords, in the eyes of the church it was forever tainted by it's association with the Fae Vivian and the Wizard Merlin, who was likely an incorrigible troublemaker if he was anything like Saber's adviser.
Time had moved on, and sure enough, despite the Church's might, the legend of Excalibur grew in proportion to Arthur's might until one night Morgan le Fay, determined to see her son Mordred succeed Arthur to the throne, spirited away Excalibur's sheath, thus removing it's protection from, allowing Mordred to strike down his father even as Arthur ran him through during their fateful duel at the Battle of Camlann.
