The great days of the Round Table were over when 150 knights left to search throughout Britain for the Grail. But it was Sir Modred, a knight who was either Arthur’s nephew or his illegitimate son, finally destroyed the fellowship of the Round Table. While Arthur was fighting Lancelot in France, Modred seized his kingdom and attempted to marry Guinevere. Arthur quickly returned to Britain and a war broke out between the forces of the two men. Arthur killed Modred in battle but he himself was badly wounded.
Facing death, Arthur ordered one of his knights Bedivere to throw Excalibur into a lake, so that the sword could not fall into the wrong hands. Then Bedivere carried Arthur on his shoulders and brought him to the edge of the lake. There they saw a boat with a number of fairies in it. The boat took him away to the island of Avalon, the land of heroes. People believe that Arthur will return when Britain again needs him to defeat the nation’s enemies and to bring peace and security to the land.