Prologue
Arthur Pendragon or simply Arthur sometimes called 'Wart' sprinted as fast as his long legs could carry him. He ran out the gates of the castle, through the trees and up to the hill top following the long blue hat as it bounced up and down.
"But Merlin!" he called as he jumped over a root that jolted out of the ground." I don't understand what you're saying. With a burst of energy Arthur bounded up and down between the bushes following the marker of the blue hat.
Then as he jumped out of the bushes he came face to face with an old man clad in blue with glasses and a long white beard. In an attempt to stop himself Arthur skidded along the dirt and toppled over, landing at the feet of the Wizard.
"Oh my word, boy." Said Merlin as h reached down and helped Arthur to his feet." Are you alright?" Once Arthur was to his feet Merlin began dusting him off.
"Y-Yes, sir." Arthur coughed.
"Good show then. NOW!" he bellowed raising his arm up in the air and turning the other way." Onward!" And Merlin once again led the way and Arthur ran to keep up with him.
"But Merlin!" called Arthur as he ran after him." I still don't understand, where are we going?"
"Oh pinfeathers boy!" called a voice from above. Arthur looked up and watched as an owl swooped down and rested on the back of Merlin's hat." Have you been listening boy?" he asked turning to Arthur." We're taking you away."
"Away?" questioned Arthur." But why?"
"Oh come now Archimedes." Said Merlin pushing the owl with his cane." Don't be so hard on the boy." Archimedes just sat back and mumbled to himself." But lad. "said Merlin turning to him." I would agree that you should listen more carefully. Have I not said what we are doing several times this day?!" He shook his arms for emphasis.
"Well no, sir. You actually haven't." And suddenly Merlin's roller coaster came to a screeching halt as he himself realized the boy was right and that he hadn't told him where they were going. He had only discussed the matter with Sir Ector and Sir Kay only a few minutes ago but not to Arthur himself.
"Oh." He realized." I suppose I haven't. Very well boy, I shall tell you of my plans." Merlin took a deep breath and prepared to explain to the interested young boy. The hype kept building for Arthur but nothing came from Merlin's mouth except for air." Where to begin really?" He scratched his head.
"Pinfeathers and Golly fluff!" exclaimed Archimedes. He leaned over on Merlin's hat and drew Arthur's attention to him." We're taking you to another world boy. One far away from this one here."
"Another world?" questioned Arthur. Archimedes grumbled and prepared to speak louder and get his point across. But before he could Merlin pushed him with his cane.
"Come now Archimedes!" he called. "Your only confusing the boy."
"But what does he mean another world Merlin? Does he mean another Kingdom?" Merlin scratched his head in response.
"Yes my lad." He replied." You could think of it like that in a manner."
"Well how shall we get there? Are we taking a horse or a carriage?"
"No, no." chuckled Merlin." We." He pointed to Arthur, Archimedes and himself." Will be traveling in style. You watch this lad you'll like this." Arthur watched as Merlin tapped his cane to the ground and the raised it up. And when he did the ground surrounding them began to sparkle in a small circle. Then Merlin began to spin and shot into the air. Arthur and Archimedes were right next to him went up along with him as he shot into the air.
To Arthur it was all a bright light as they traveled up, up and farther beyond that he saw possible. And before he knew it the trip was over and he found his feet back on solid ground. But the ground was different from the dirt he left behind, this ground was cobblestone.
"Merlin, where are we?" asked Arthur in a sense of awe.
"Welcome Arthur." Said Merlin as he took a step forward and extended his arms out." To Radiant Garden." Arthur took a step forward and just below him was a small little town and it's many residents going about their daily routines. It was true they'd traveled to another world in the blink of an eye." It is here that we will continue your education." Merlin continued although Arthur was not paying too much attention to him as he bounced back and forth to get a view of all corners of the town.
Far off to the left was a dock with great big ships with big white sails. The men worked unloading the cargo from the ship. Arthur looked down in wonder.
"Those men are from other worlds to." Told Merlin getting his attention." They have traveled to this world much like we have."
"Wow." Exclaimed Arthur.
"Yes it is very interesting isn't it." Merlin pulled his pocket watch from his pocket and examined it." Oh my it's half past two. Come along, son." He said as he began walking off in the other direction.
"Where are we going now Merlin?" asked Arthur running after him. "Are we going down to the docks."
"No, no not today. Right now we are heading to the place we'll be calling home for the time being." So Arthur followed after Merlin and eventually he was led to a small house near the town square.
Merlin led the way and pushed the door open, knocking three times as he did so.
"Hello!" he called as he poked his head into the house with his body following. And Arthur followed after him, looking around and observing his surroundings. But then he was suddenly distracted by the sound of stomping against the ground and a loud call.
"OLD MAN!" yelled a voice. Arthur turned over and coming right for him was a little woman with black hair sleeveless vest, high boots and short shorts. She continued to come right at him and Arthur just froze up. He stood there and she slammed right into him.
Merlin watched as the two were laid out on the floor with the girl on top of Arthur.
"My word, Yuffie!" Merlin exclaimed." What did you think you're doing?"
"Trying to surprise you." She said sitting up and looking at him." But this kid go in my way." She turned back and looked at Arthur.
"He is not some kid his name is Arthur." Told Merlin." The future king of his world and my current student."
"OH!" exclaimed Yuffie with a smile as she looked to Arthur." Pleasure to meet you Arthur." She stuck her hand up but Arthur could shake it since she was still sitting on him." He's not much of a talker is he?" she asked looking to Merlin.
"Hard to talk when you're sitting on him." Said another voice. Everyone looked over as a man with blong hair, a toothpick in his mouth and a scowl on his face walked into the room.
"Cid." Grumbled Merlin.
"Old loon." Cid replied. As the two continued to stare each other down Yuffie got off Arthur and helped him to his feet." Your late you know that?" asked Cid looking at his watch.
"A wizard is never late nor is he early." Merlin replied matter of factly." He arrives precisely when he means to." And the two continued to stare the other down while Arthur and Yuffie watched on.
"What's up with them?" he asked.
"Pay them no mind boy." Said Archimedes as he flew off Merlin's hat and to a chandelier on the celling." They have this little rivalry, but it's all in good fun." But then as Archimedes had just gotten comfortable the chandelier began to shake violently. So violent that Archimedes lost his balance and fell from the chandelier and to the ground below. Luckily Arthur reached out his hands and caught him" Thank you boy." He grumbled looking up at the ceiling. The chandelier continued to shake for several more seconds but then as quickly as it started it stopped. Everyone looked up to the ceiling and listen as soft steps were heard from above, then coming down the stairs until a woman with long black hair dressed in a pink bathrobe came downstairs. Following after he was a big man with brown hair and a scar across his face dressed in a black bathrobe.
Merlin, Cid an Archimedes looked with dropped jaws, Yuffie looked on with a smirk but Arthur looked on confused.
The girl walked across the room flipping her hair as she went and the bathrobe clung loosely to her figure. She walked over to the fridge and tried to reach in only the man was blocking her way. The two engaged in a slight shoving match which ended with the girl pushing the guy away so she could get in the fridge first. The man stood back with a scowl while she bent over and reached in.
The man turned over and looked around. This led him to seeing Merlin, Cid and the newcomer Arthur. He walked over to the boy and introduced himself.
"Merlin." He nodded to the Wizard before greeting the boy."Leon." He introduced. Arthur reached up and shook his hand thought he was slightly intimated by the man's size and appearance." And that over there is-" He turned around to introduced the girl only to see her waist deep in the fridge.
"TIFA!" yelled Cid causing her to nearly jump out of her skin and hit her head against the door.
"What?!" she cried rubbing her head turning to him.
"Aren't you going to say hello to our guests?" Cid nodded to Merlin standing next to him.
"Oh Merlin." Tifa said with a smile as she walked over to him." How are you, when did you get back?" She reached in to hug him but Merlin stuck out his arms blocking her.
He cleared his throat." Um very well, my dear very well." His eyes rolled over from her and to Arthur who stood there with a confused look on his face." This is my pupil and our new housemate, Arthur." Tifa turned away from Merlin and looked to the little boy standing there and her eyes bugged wide open.
"Oh!" she exclaimed aloud. Then she reached down to her belt and tied it tighter, allowing the robe to cover her up more." Hello there." She said walking over to him." My name is Tifa, and this brick wall is Leon." She elbowed Leon in the chest.
"I've already introduced myself."
"T-Thank you miss." Said Arthur." It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Oh Miss." Chuckled Tifa and Yuffie joined in but Leon just rolled his eyes.
"The boy always like this?" asked Cid leaning over to Merlin. The Wizard gave him a criticizing look. "Leon, Tifa!" yelled Cid. Tifa jumped up and turned over to him, but managed to hit Leon in the nose during the process." Any reason why you are wearing bath robes at three in the afternoon?" Leon and Tifa looked to each other with blank expressions.
"Well we…. I was ummm." They stammered bobbing their heads to each other and to everyone else at the same time.
"Excuse me Cid!" said Merlin quickly cutting in." But if you don't mind could I see you in my study for a moment." The tone of his voice suddenly changed and that caught the old mechanic's ear.
"Yes." He replied." Whatever I can help you with old loon." He turned and walked into the study. Archimedes heard the he spoke as well and flew off into the study.
"Leon." Said Merlin turning around ."Could you-" But based on the way Leon and Tifa were both dressed he changed his mind." Yuffie, could you kindly show Arthur to his room?"
"Of course!" yelled Yuffie as she wrapped one arm around Arthur's neck and dragged him upstairs." Follow me!"
"But Merlin!" called Arthur." What about my studies-"
"Don't worry lad." The wizard replied." We'll have time for all that later for now you just get settled in." He watched as Yuffie dragged Arthur upstairs. Then Merlin turned away and headed into his study, closing the door firmly behind him. Inside the room was Archimedes perched by the window and Cid leaning against the desk." Alright Cid." Said Merlin turning to him after the door was closed." What has gone on in my absence?"
"Nothing." Replied Cid.
"Nothing?" questioned Merlin.
"Nothing." He repeated. Merlin took his hat off his head and rubbed his hair." Does it worry you as much as it does me?"
"Indeed I believe it does." Said Merlin sitting down in his big, red chair. He let out a sigh.
"Do you think it was so smart to bring the boy here?" asked Cid." Especially at this time?"
"Don't you worry about the boy." Said Merlin pointing a finger at him and waving it." He's my responsibility!"
"Steady on." Calmed Archimedes." He meant nothing by it." Merlin sighed and sat back in his chair pitching the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb.
"For better or worse." He said." The boy is here now." Cid nodded.
"I'll make sure to help keep him out of trouble." He told.
"Thank you." Said Merlin. He turned and looked out the window at the town outside and beyond it was the dark forest and the unknown mountains." If it's as I fear, then we will all need protecting."