The Gorge of Horoclacia

by Bailey Elizabeth Parker

Arthur must go on a quest to the cursed Gorge of Horoclacia. The curse is strong enough to curse the Druids. Merlin must convince Arthur to call off the quest. Can Merlin convince Arthur? Or will he have to try and break the curse? This is my first fan-fic, so please bear with me! Thanks!

1. Chapter 1

I saw her sitting in a tree, her brown, curly hair glowing red in the noonday sun. She just sat there, looking off into the distance. I saw her eyes glow. I fall to the ground. I can't move. I struggle, trying to break my invisible bonds.

"Didn't expect to see you here, Emrys." She says, her sweet voice ringing in my ears. She jumps off the branch. "Who are you?" I ask. The girl smiles. "I'm Astrid." "What do you want with me?" "I don't want anything. I'm here to warn you." She incants and her eyes glow.

I sit up. "Arthur is getting ready to go on a quest. Am I correct?" "Yeah." I answer, nodding. "To the Gorge of Horoclacia?" Again, I nod. "Not much is known about it. To Camelot, anyway. However, Druids fear the place. There is a curse on the place that even Druids can fall prey to. Arthur must not go there. Even though he still shuns the Old Religion, no one should have to suffer through that curse. We are showing him kindness and mercy, however, if he ignores our warning, and he is cursed, we will not help him or you, Emrys. As his manservant and friend, we trust you to warn the King. For we fear if he is cursed, he will not be able to fulfill his destiny."

I shake my head. "It's prophecy, Astrid. How can that happen?" "Prophecy maybe, but this curse is more powerful than you, dare I say, more powerful than Morgana."

More powerful than Morgana? How? "Go, Emrys. Warn Arthur."

Astrid walks away.

I walk into Arthur's chambers. "Merlin." He says. "Today we journey to the Gorge." I chuckle nervously. Arthur groans. "What is it now, Merlin?" "Gaius told me that the Gorge of Horoclacia is home to a powerful curse that even the Druids can fall prey to."

Arthur shakes his head. "I don't care for Gaius's bedtime stories, Merlin." "They're not bedtime stories. It's in the books." "Books as in a book of nursery rhymes?" "Ha ha. This is serious, Arthur. If this curse can affect the Druids, imagine what it'll do to you." "Fetch my shirt, would you?"

I grab Arthur's shirt and put it on him. "I think you should call off the quest." "My knights have been training for weeks, Merlin. I can't put them through all that hard work for nothing."

I laugh. "Go ahead, get cursed, get the whole kingdom cursed, see what happens. Once again, I would've been right." Arthur scoffs. I grab his chain mail and help him put it on. "I'm sorry, Merlin, but after the past few years you've hardly ever been right."

Have I now?

"We'll depart at dawn tomorrow." Arthur says. "And that's final." I nod. "Of course, sire." I bow and leave the room.