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Chapter 3. Truth of What Was Forgotten

As Gwaine`s feet continuously pounded the floor in rhythm with those in front of him, the exertion of running endlessly in his chain mail, for what had seemed to be forever, was getting to him.

He may have been used to running far distances due to his old tavern fleeing days but running away (retreating as the princess phrased it) from a large group of seemingly immortal bandits was not something he had planned to prepare for.

Dodging over an around the mass multitude of randomly scattered mossy rocks, Gwaine couldn't help but think of the irony of the situation they were in.

Heh... Last time it was an immortal army and this time its immortal bandits. Princess must really have bad luck, immortal bad luck.

Snickering to himself Gwaine looked ahead to see Elyan who was the one closest to him curse quietly to himself as he nearly slipped on one of the many haphazardly positioned rocks.

Looks like I'm not the only one thinking that escaping into this place was a bad idea.

Throughout his years of travelling Gwaine had heard many stories about this place- The Valley Of The Fallen Kings. Most of them revolved around someone, who out of curiosity, foolishly entered the valley and in the end turned out only to becoming cursed or suffering from an accursed death of some kind.

Another commonly heard version of events that he had heard about which surrounded the valley was that those who disturb the area are subject to turn evil and worse yet turn against those they love in an attempt to kill them.

To be honest he just thought its people turning to fear for something they don't know understand. Something he definitely discovered by the various people had met at the various taverns he had been to. Even if the storytellers did say that they were `true` stories.

However, even if the stories were some times completely stupid and the people who had spoke them may have slightly been drunk out-of-their-minds their had to be some truth in them. None can make stories that extraordinary unless there was a reason.

Yet they had already been here number of times and nothing unbelievably terrible has happened.

Rounding the next upcoming corner Gwaine couldn't help but notice two exceedingly large derelict statues standing, facing each other. Covered in vines and moss, the statues strangely didn't look over a day old.

Furthermore, whilst passing by he noticed a small set of engravings on each of the statues. Letters in a language not their own; symbols of magic.

Well it is said that this valley is magic supposedly came from.

He had heard Gaius mention it before, according to him deep in the valley there is a cave: the origin of magic.

A place in which even to sorcerers, is a place of legend and that of old- a cave adorned with crystals that are made of magic itself. A place of the ancient and mystery.

Well Gaius can make anything seem ancient and full of the mystery. Especially that eyebrow of his. If he ever heard me say that...

Just the thought of Gaius finding out made Gwaine cringe.

The last time he had ever mentioned the physicians age and mysterious eyebrow raising technique, was about a year ago when he was being checked over, for one of the injuries that he had gained in one of Camelot`s tournaments.

All he had asked, was where had the physician learnt how to raise his eyebrow, so tall so that even the princess cringed from it. What he received for asking the question was the 'eyebrow' and an extremely bitter ( even more bitter than normal even for Gaius` medication) pain reliever.

Moving on from the 'bitter' memory Gwaine changed his thought to that of the area he was currently running through.

To say this place is supposed to have a mystical magical cave, the last time we came, all we discovered was a crap load of bandits.

Thinking back brought another thought to Gwaine... The bandits could still be there.

That thought was certainly unattractive.

Last time he fought them he had thought that he had lost his best friend. The rockfall that Arthur described had seemed horrible to point of which, it would have been a miracle if his best friend survived.

Yet as per usual his friend luck was unbelievable, a few days later they had found him covered head to toe in mud. Only Merl...

Gwaine to suddenly stopped.

Who? What was his best friends name?

He knew he should be able to remember the name of the person who he was thinking about but even as he deeply searched through his memories he had begin to notice that every memory of this friend had become blurred.

It was as if the person was someone of his imagination. Maybe he had been drinking to much mead? I knew I shouldn't have had some before I came on this hunt, but heck I couldn't resist.

Nonetheless, Gwaine knew that this blur of memories was not something he had created from his drinking habits.

"Gwaine!"

"Huh?"

"What are you doing? Do you want those bandits to catch up to us? Keep moving!" Yelled Arthur from the front of the group of those running.

Deciding that standing still was not the best of ideas he willed his legs to start moving again. However being unable to remember his friend was still bothering him.

Suddenly he remembered that the others around him should know, after all they had met his friend to.

Jumping over one of the many mossy rocks, Gwaine shouted to Arthur," Oi, princess!" knowing he had gained the kings attention when he turned around continued, " You know the last time we came to this valley, who came with us?"

"What? Gwaine now is not the-"

"Princess just answer the question!"

"Me, you, Leon, Percival and Elyan, why?"

Joining the conversation was Leon,"Sire, you're forgetting someone. There was also Mer..." Almost as if confused Leon went silent.

"Leon, I am not forgetting anyone," pausing his speech slightly Arthur swiftly avoided a fallen branch lying on the ground he continued "There was no one else."

No there was someone else

"Well I don't know I weren't even there"

Ignoring Tristan, Gwaine shouted out, "There was someone else, cant remember who though. Maybe it was-"

"We haven't got time for your ramblings Gwaine, there was no one else with us."

"Arthur Listen-"

Cutting Gwaine of was Gwen surprisingly,"How about we discuss this later once we are not being chased after by a bunch of people wishing to kill us!"

"But-"

"Gwaine. Later." Percival added.

Breath ragged Gwaine decided that to be truthful now was not the best of times to be discussing this.

Why does today have to be so messed up? Bandits and a bad memory, just brilliant. You know what I need is a nice cool cold tankard of mead?

Distracting his mind from the mead was Arthur again, "In here!"

Suddenly turning to the right everyone speedily ran into, what seemed to be, an alcoved hidden cave.

Once inside Gwaine noticed that they were standing in a short thin tunnel. The next thing he noticed was that a sudden rush of war cries passed by near the entrance of the cave. Holding his breath he waited for the cries to fade out.

Strangely it seemed as if those who had ran by did not see the cave as no bandit entered the area in which they were hiding.

Breathing out a sigh of relief Gwaine thanked whatever guardian angel that was looking out for him.

"Well at least we're safe now, eh"

Arthur replied. "Come on, we may be safe for now but we should see if there is another way out. They clearly weren't like normal bandits."

As everyone begin walking deeper into the tunnel Gwaine began to notice that the cave was beginning to get brighter.

Aren't we in a cave? Funny cave...

A few seconds later the tunnel grew larger in size.

Following each other through the tunnel into the larger cavern ahead, one by one they gasped at the sight before them.

Gwaine couldn't believe what he was he was seeing.

Covering the entire cavern was a multitude of white, clear and slightly pink crystals, all of which were different shapes and sizes. The crystals almost seemed to have an unearthly glow. Almost as if it was magic.

"Beautiful," Tristan whispered.

Due to looking at the brightly colour coated walls around him, Gwaine didn't happen to see the large rock lying on the floor in the middle of the cavern, causing him to almost trip and fall.

Luckily he caught himself before he fell.

Seriously Gwaine you're as clumsy as Merlin.

Merlin...

Merlin?

"Wait! Where's Merlin?"

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