The tall man continued to laugh as he turned his back on the dying girl, His high pitched, echoing cackles sounding eerie against the otherwise silent landscape.
"You shouldn't have killed her." his accomplice mumbled but he didn't look as though he truly regretted the action. On the contrary, he grinned, revealing a set of blackened teeth.
The men walked away, leaving the girl against the tree roots she had tripped over.
Her eye-lids flickered as she drifted out of consciousness for the last time. It looked as though all hope was lost until suddenly her eyes flashed gold.
Immediately the wound in the girl's torso healed itself. She jumped up from the leaf covered ground and shouted out to the men who had all but disappeared through the mist.
"You'll have to try harder than that to kill me!" her voice was strong but dignified, learned yet courageous.
The two figures sprung around, a look of pure terror on both of their ugly faces.
"But… You… you were dead!" The greasy haired man stated stupidly whilst the taller of the two just gawped.
"Not quite!" The girl sang, with newfound energy she leapt over to the men and chuckled lightly as they flinched away.
Holding her hand in front of her she muttered ancient words that flowed naturally from deep inside her: "bælegsa genéopan wudubeám!"
From nowhere a spark settled on a nearby tree. One small spark.
The two men glanced at each other then they started to howl in laughter, clutching their stomachs they collapsed against each other, struggling to control themselves.
"Ha-ha!" The taller man laughed. "Is that all you can do?"
The girl walked towards the two men, her face contorted in a silent rage. Her hand was still held before her and she smiled sweetly as she spoke
"Oh, no. This is nothing!" As soon as the words left her lips the men gasped as her eyes turned momentarily yellow.
The tree where the single spark had settled caught fire with a sudden "BANG!"
Without a seconds warning the fire spread from tree to tree, swept by an invisible wind.
For this was not normal fire. There was no smoke, the only way to stop such a fire would be by using magic but the girl was weak, as much as she tried she could not summon the energy needed to weave magic into her otherwise meaningless words.
When her last attempt to stop the flames failed she turned and fled into the forest, away from the inferno and away from the burnt bodies of two men, not the first and most certainly not the last to perish at the hands of Darkening Forest.
A few miles East from Darkening Forest lies a famous market town, Camelot, that resides in the shadows of a great castle.
This castle is home to King Uther, a fierce king with a wild reputation for despising all things magical.
It was in King Uther's court that a peasant from a village near to Darkening Forest now stood.
The poor farmer had long brown hair that was unkempt and half hidden under a shabby hat. His skin had a pleasant olive tone, probably from working all day in the fields.
Silently the peasant removed his hat and bowed before king Uther.
"My Lord," he began, "A terrible fire is spreading through Darkening Forest."
King Uther scowled, unsure what to make of this news.
"And? Have you tried to extinguish the fire?"
"Yes My lord but the fire will not stop burning. Nothing we can do will stop the flames. Me and my fellow villagers fear that by this time tomorrow our farmland and homes will be destroyed."
"What are you saying? Do you suspect sorcery?" King Uther's sharp voice made the man (and half the court) flinch.
"As far as I know My Lord, I can think of no other explanation."
Uther stood up and addressed Arthur who was by his side.
"You and some knights will ride out at once and put a stop to this evil."
"Very well father." the Prince replied, knowing that there was no point trying to persuade his father otherwise.
Arthur bowed to his father, grabbed Merlin's arm and marched out of the hall.
Once they were out of the room he turned to Merlin.
"Prepare the horses will you?"
He ordered and before Merlin could answer he had gone.
Something -instinct perhaps- told Merlin that they were about to go on another adventure.
But the servant had no time to dwell on such thoughts instead he set off in the direction of the stables.
Thank-you for reviewing lilyplusjamesistotallove, you just about made my day :D
This chapter is dedicated to you and anyone else who took the time to review. I was really touched xxx
Disclaimer: It breaks my heart to admit defeat but Merlin™ does not belong to me. Oh how I wish it did… xxx
